After one of the most successful seasons in school history, there are high expectations for the Utah women’s basketball team this year, both internally and externally.
That is reflected in the preseason Associated Press top 25 rankings released Tuesday morning — the Utes will start the 2023-24 season ranked No. 5 in the country.
That is the highest preseason ranking in program history and the first time the Utes have been ranked in the preseason since 2005.
Utah received 742 votes in the preseason poll, and is one of six Pac-12 teams in the preseason top 25. Last week, the Utes were voted as the preseason favorite — both from the coaches and media — to win the Pac-12 title.
Utah went 27-5 last season, won a share of the Pac-12 regular-season championship, and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen, where the Utes lost a close game against eventual national champion LSU.
Lynne Roberts, the Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2022-23, brings back all five starters to this year’s squad, headlined by All-Americans Alissa Pili and Gianna Kneepkens.
The other Pac-12 teams in the AP poll include UCLA one spot above the Utes at No. 4, Stanford at No. 15, Colorado at No. 20, USC at No. 21 and Washington State at No. 24.
The AP preseason poll top five is defending champ LSU at No. 1, followed by UConn, Iowa, UCLA and Utah.