UConn Women’s Basketball Picked First in USA Today Coaches’ Poll

USA Today released their preseason coaches’ poll today and SOMETHING the UConn women’s basketball team was picked No. 1. The Huskies received 25 of 32 first-place votes along with 789 points total.

Despite finishing last season at No. 3, UConn brings back nearly its entire roster while adding talented transfers Azura Stevens and Batouly Camara in addition to a top-ranked recruiting class.

The reigning national champions, the South Carolina Gamecocks, check in at No. 2. They were the only other team to receive first-place votes as they picked up seven.

There are 11 teams on UConn’s schedule that are ranked in the top 25 and two receiving votes. The Huskies will host No. 25 Cal, No. 13 Maryland, No. 5 Notre Dame, No. 10 Louisville, Temple (RV) and No. 22 USF.

On the road, UConn will face No. 7 UCLA, No. 20 DePaul, USF, No. 6 Texas, Temple and South Carolina.

On neutral sites, the Huskies will open the season with No. 9 Stanford in the Countdown to Columbus. They drew Michigan State (RV) in the PK80 and will play No. 21 Oklahoma at Mohegan Sun Arena in the Hall of Fame Holiday Showcase.

Geno Auriemma tries to schedule the toughest schedule possible to test his team, especially since the American Conference doesn’t put up much of a fight against the Huskies. He did a good job once again this year.

It would be difficult to put together a tougher slate as they have just two non-conference games against teams that weren’t ranked or receiving votes: Dusquense and Nevada, the homecoming games for Kia Nurse and Gabby Williams, respectively.