Nov. 8, 2005
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The Maryland women's basketball team earned its highest Associated Press Preseason Ranking since 1992-93, garnering a No. 14 rating, which was announced today. The Terps, who open the season with an exhibition game against EA Sports on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m., were also ranked 14th in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll, announced last week.
The Terps improved nine spots from last year's preseason ranking when they were No. 23. Maryland is one of four ACC teams among the preseason top 25. Duke earned the No. 1 spot, while defending ACC Champion North Carolina was No. 7. NC State came in at No. 23, with Boston College, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Wake Forest and Virginia all receiving votes.
This season, Maryland will face four teams ranked in the top 10. Aside from the Blue Devils, which the Terps play twice this season, and UNC, they will also play No. 2 Tennessee and No. 10 Michigan State at the Paradise Jam over the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Terps return nine letterwinners from last season's 22-10 team which reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Brenda Frese also welcomes back four starters, including Wade Trophy and Wooden Award candidates Crystal Langhorne and Shay Doron. Joining the Terps this season is the fourth-ranked recruiting class in the nation, featuring McDonald's All-Americans Marissa Coleman (Cheltenham, Md./St. John's College [D.C.]) and Kristi Toliver (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg).
Maryland opens the season with an exhibition contest against EA Sports this weekend, Saturday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. The regular season tips-off on Friday, Nov. 18 at Siena.
Preseason Associated Press Poll
1. Duke
2. Tennessee
3. LSU
4. Ohio State
5. Rutgers
6. Baylor
7. North Carolina
8. Georgia
9. Connecticut
10. Michigan State
11. Stanford
12. Texas
13. Texas Tech
14. MARYLAND
15. Notre Dame
16. Minnesota
17. Vanderbilt
18. DePaul
19. Purdue
20. Arizona State
21. Temple
22. Utah
23. NC State
24. USC
25. Oklahoma
Receiving Votes: UCLA, Boston College, Arizona, New Mexico, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Louisiana Tech, Villanova, Florida State, Kansas State, Wake Forest, George Washington, Western Kentucky, TCU, Iowa State, Xavier, Bowling Green, Kansas, Mississippi, UCSB, Virginia, West Virginia.
-TERPS-
