LSU women's basketball ranked preseason No. 1 in AP Poll for first time
Was it going to be LSU women's basketball or UConn?
Kim Mulkey and Angel Reese or Geno Auriemma and Paige Bueckers?
All offseason it's been clear it's been a two-team race to top preseason polls heading into the 2023-24 season. Coming off the program's first NCAA championship last season, Associated Press voters gave LSU the nod.
For the first time, the Tigers will enter a season ranked No. 1. UConn is No. 2, Caitlin Clark and Iowa are No. 3 followed by UCLA and Utah to round out the top five.
Many national outlets that cover women's college basketball hesitated to put LSU at the top of its rankings. But, The Daily Advertiser first-stated that Mulkey's program should be preseason No. 1 for the 2023-24 season following the transfer of Louisville graduate point guard Hailey Van Lith and before the Tigers also landed the second-highest rated transfer in sophomore DePaul forward Aneesah Morrow a few weeks later.
Reese, named last season's NCAA Tournament and title game Most Outstanding Player during LSU's improbable run to the championship, headlined the returners but it's a loaded group with sophomore Flau'jae Johnson back as well.
The voids that were going to be left by the exits of LaDazhia Williams and guard Alexis Morris were filled with the addition of Van Lith and Morrow while adding more star power to the roster.
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LSU also signed the nation's top recruiting class in 2023, led by Shreveport native and consensus top-2 recruit in guard Mikaylah Williams.
The Tigers open the season Nov. 6 at the Hall of Fame Classic in Las Vegas against Colorado.
Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU/UL athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU women's basketball ranked preseason No. 1 in AP Poll for 1st time
