South Carolina still No. 1 in AP Top 25 preseason women’s basketball poll: Key takeaways

South Carolina is still on top.

The Gamecocks women’s basketball team maintained its No. 1 ranking in the preseason AP Top 25 poll released Tuesday, receiving 27 of 30 first-place votes. UConn received two votes to come in No. 2 while USC was No. 3 with one vote. Texas (No. 4) and UCLA (No. 5) rounded out the top five.

South Carolina spent all but the first week as the top-ranked team last season as it compiled a 38-0 record and won its second national championship in three years — and third-ever under coach Dawn Staley. The Gamecocks are returning almost their entire roster from last season, though they lost star center Kamilla Cardoso, who plays for the WNBA’s Chicago Sky.

Meanwhile, star guard Paige Bueckers will be back for UConn for what’s expected to be her final season with the team. The Huskies (33-6 last season) will also have top 2024 recruit Sarah Strong to supplement their frontcourt after Aaliyah Edwards graduated.

USC was 29-6 last season, falling to UConn in the Elite Eight.

Preseason AP women’s Top 25

Others receiving votes: Iowa 37, TCU 30, Utah 24, Illinois 23, Stanford 17, Michigan St. 16, Gonzaga 16, Vanderbilt 12, South Dakota St. 7, Miami 4, Tennessee 3, Fairfield 3, Middle Tennessee 3, Georgia Tech 2, Syracuse 1, Princeton 1.

South Carolina earns the top spot

It’s not a surprise to see the reigning champs atop the preseason poll. South Carolina returns one of the most experienced and talented backcourts in the country with Te-Hina Paopao, Raven Johnson and Bree Hall.

Questions exist around their paint game with Cardoso having departed for the WNBA and Ashlyn Watkins’ legal issues yet to be settled, but Staley’s track record of preparing players to raise their games should mean big things for Chloe Kitts and Sania Feagin. After huge performances in the national title game against Iowa, keep your eyes out for big sophomore seasons from MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson. — Chantel Jennings, women’s basketball senior writer

UConn, USC garner top votes, too

The Huskies and Trojans were the only other teams to pull No. 1 votes in the poll. In Storrs, optimism abounds after an impressive Final Four run a season ago behind heroics of Bueckers, who has said she’s entering this season as though it’s her last at the college level.

Azzi Fudd, who tore her ACL last season, won’t be ready to go for the season opener, but with Princeton transfer Kaitlyn Chen, Jana El Alfy and sophomores Ashlynn Shade and KK Arnold, the Huskies’ depth is looking far better than it did a season ago.

USC returns star JuJu Watkins and Rayah Marshall as well as transfer portal coups Kiki Iriafen (Stanford) and Talia von Oelhoffen (Oregon State). With their entrance into the Big Ten, the Trojans will have a chance to make some noise on both coasts this season. — Jennings

Lots of hype in Ames

With point guard Emily Ryan opting to return for her fifth year alongside terrific sophomore duo Audi Crooks and Addy Brown, the Cyclones enter the preseason poll at the No. 8 position — the highest of any Big 12 team.

After being picked to finish sixth in the conference ahead of the 2023-24 season, the Cyclones made a nice run, ultimately advancing to the Big 12 tournament title game (and falling to Texas) and then advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where Iowa State took Stanford to the brink in overtime. The Cyclones will have plenty of opportunities to validate their top-10 status with non-conference games against both South Carolina and UConn before Big 12 play starts. — Jennings

Stanford starts off unranked

For the first time since 1999, the Cardinal will start the season unranked in the AP top-25. Following the retirement of coach Tara VanDerveer, longtime associate head coach Kate Paye was put at the helm of the program.

The Cardinal will desperately miss Cameron Brink (who was picked No. 2 in the 2024 WNBA Draft), the program’s leading 3-point shooter Hannah Jump (who graduated) and Iriafen (who transferred to USC). — Jennings

Required reading

(Photo: Sean Rayford / Getty Images)