The 2024-25 preseason girls’s school basketball Associated Press Top 25 was launched on Tuesday. It options the defending nationwide champions on the high and a well-known program within the high 10 for the thirtieth consecutive season.
It is also notable that some high packages aren’t ranked within the run-up to the season, which suggestions off Nov. 4.
Listed here are 10 takeaways from the primary AP girls’s hoops ballot of the season:
The defending nationwide champions begin on the high
Daybreak Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks start the season ranked No. 1 after an undefeated 2023-24 championship season. Regardless of shedding Kamilla Cardoso to the Chicago Sky, the Gamecocks look primed for his or her title protection with returnees Raven Johnson, Te-Hina Paopao, Tessa Johnson, MiLaysia Fulwiley, Chloe Kitts and Ashlyn Watkins.
Geno Auriemma’s Huskies begin within the high 10 as soon as once more
For the thirtieth consecutive season, Auriemma and the UConn Huskies are ranked within the high 10 of the preseason ballot. With star Paige Bueckers returning, the Huskies have what it takes to be a contender if they’ll get by way of their troublesome non-conference schedule and keep away from the accidents that plagued them in the course of the 2023-24 season.
Star freshmen return for sophomore seasons at USC, Notre Dame
USC begins the 2024-25 season ranked No. 3 within the nation. Regardless of the transfer to the Large Ten convention for the Trojans, USC returns its star from final season, JuJu Watkins, who averaged 27.1 factors, 7.3 rebounds and three.3 assists. The Notre Dame Combating Irish begin the season at No. 6 and get their star Hannah Hidalgo again for one more yr. With senior Olivia Miles getting back from a knee harm, “this seems to be to be the perfect Irish staff below [Niele] Ivey,” according to ESPN’s Charlie Creme.
Texas brings a proficient 1-2 punch
Ranked No. 4 within the preseason ballot, the Texas Longhorns get senior Rori Harmon again from an ACL harm. After averaging 14.1 factors, 5.6 rebounds and seven.8 assists whereas taking pictures 52.3 % from the ground, Harmon can be paired with proficient sophomore Madison Booker, who’s coming off a powerful freshman season through which she put up 16.5 factors per recreation.
UCLA provides to its proficient roster
Beginning the season at No. 5, the Bruins return Lauren Betts, who almost averaged a double-double in the course of the 2023-24 season and ranked fifth nationally in field-goal share (64.3 %), and Kiki Rice, who put up 13.2 factors, 5.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists. As well as, the Bruins welcome transfers Charlisse Leger-Walker, who scored the ninth-most factors (530) in a season by a Washington State participant in the course of the 2022-23 season, and Timea Gardiner, who averaged 8.7 factors and three.5 rebounds whereas changing 47.7 % of her pictures from the ground and 36.2 % of her threes throughout her 2022-23 freshman season at Oregon State.
LSU loaded with expertise
Regardless of the departure of star Angel Reese to the Chicago Sky, Kim Mulkey’s Tigers carry again a variety of expertise. Led by junior Flau’jae Johnson and seniors Aneesah Morrow and Final-Tear Poa, the Tigers possess a veteran group that’s positive to pose a big problem to opponents.
Present and former Large 12 faculties making noise
For the second time in three seasons, the eighth-ranked Iowa State Cyclones are within the high 10 of the preseason ballot. Sophomore Audi Criminal returns after averaging 19.2 factors and seven.8 rebounds on 57.7 % taking pictures from the sector. The Cyclones additionally get fifth-year senior Emily Ryan, the varsity’s all-time help chief, again for one more season. Oklahoma is available in at No. 10, its highest rating within the preseason ballot since 2010. The Sooners add Oregon State switch Raegan Beers to their lineup as they start their first season within the SEC.
Alabama returns to the ballot
For the primary time since 1998, the Twenty fourth-ranked Crimson Tide return to the preseason ballot. Ranked for the primary time total since 1999, the staff returns stars Sarah Ashlee Barker and Aaliyah Nye, each of whom averaged double-figure scoring in the course of the 2023-24 season.
SEC leads the best way with seven ranked groups
Along with South Carolina, LSU, Alabama and newcomers Texas and Oklahoma, Ole Miss (20) and Kentucky (22) will start the season as ranked groups. The ACC and Large Ten are shut behind with six groups every.
Acquainted packages unranked
With Corridor of Fame coach Tara VanDerveer’s retirement and Cameron Brink’s departure to the Los Angeles Sparks, Stanford will start the 2024-25 season unranked for the primary time since 1999, ending the second-longest lively preseason streak behind UConn. Equally, Iowa enters the season unranked after head coach Lisa Bluder’s retirement and Caitlin Clark leaving this system for the Indiana Fever of the WNBA.
