BOULDER, Colo. — Colorado women's basketball will start the season nationally ranked in both the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today/WBCA Coaches poll he for the first time since the 2013-14 season. The AP poll lists the Buffs at 20, while the coaches list CU at 18.
Colorado was ranked No. 19 in both polls to start the 2013-14 season.
"I think we played well enough last year that we deserve to be in the mix early this year" head coach JR Payne explained. "We are really excited to be among the nation's elite and definitely feel like we have a lot of work to do. We have a lot to prove as the season goes on."
CU made history last season, earning the No. 3 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament, marking its best finish in league history. The team's 25-9 record was its best mark since going 25-7 in the 2012-13 season. Last season was just the eighth time Colorado recorded a 25-win season and was the first time with 20 wins in back-to-back seasons since the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.
Colorado returns four of its five starters from last season, including Preseason Pac-12 All-Conference honorees Jaylyn Sherrod and Quay Miller. Senior Frida Formann and junior Aaronette Vonleh, Preseason All-Conference honorable mentions, fill out the group that accounted for 68.7% of the Buffaloes' scoring in 2022-23.
The Buffs are one of five Pac-12 schools listed in both polls, joining UCLA (4/8), Utah (5/7), Stanford (15/13) and Southern California (21/21). Washington State is ranked No. 24 in the AP poll and is receiving votes from the coaches.
CU's opening opponent, the defending national champions, LSU starts the season ranked No. 1 in both polls.
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