UConn snags No. 1 in USA Today’s preseason poll

The college season is right around the corner, and USA TODAY Sports announced its preseason coaches poll this morning.

Despite the UConn Huskies not being the defending National Champions, they have been an elite women’s basketball program of the past decade and remain at the top of the poll heading into the 2017-2018 campaign.

Without a doubt it’s no surprise that the Huskies are the top dogs this year with a slew of talent returning this season and even more elite players now eligible to play.

Returning star contributors for the Huskies’ Final Four squad last year include Napheesha Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson. In the poll, UConn received the overwhelming majority of first place votes, 25 out of 32 total.

The outstanding seven votes that weren’t in favor of UConn went to the defending National Champions, South Carolina, ranking at No. 2 overall. Coach Dawn Staley had a tough goodbye to say to the remarkably talented graduating seniors in the class of 2017, but this coming season will have once again another national player of the year, candidate A’ja Wilson.

There are many other capable and competitive teams ranked in the top five including Baylor ranking right behind UConn and South Carolina at No. 3, Mississippi State at No. 4 and Notre Dame at No. 5. Mississippi State was the bold team who shattered UConn’s 111 game winning-streak and sent the Huskies home when they defeated them in the Final Four.

Complete list of the Top 10 are as follows, while the entire list can be found here:

1. UConn

2. South Carolina

3. Baylor

4. Mississippi State

5. Notre Dame

6. Texas

7. UCLA

8. Ohio State

9. Stanford

10. Louisville