Oct. 30, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s basketball earned the No. 2 spot in the Associated Press Preseason Poll, the organization announced today. It is the Gamecocks’ highest preseason ranking in program history.
South Carolina returns all five starters and 10 letterwinners in all from last season’s SEC Championship squad. The group combined to win 29 games – second-most in school history – and earn a No. 1 seed in the 2014 NCAA Tournament – a program first. The 2014-15 Gamecocks feature the reigning SEC Player of the Year in Tiffany Mitchell and last season’s SEC Co-6th Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in Alaina Coates along with two-time All-SEC selection Aleighsa Welch and the program’s single-season blocked shot record holder in Elem Ibiam. The veteran group welcomed the No. 2 signing class in the nation, highlighted by the class’ top recruit in A’ja Wilson and the No. 7 recruit in the nation in Jatarie White.
The No. 2 ranking is the program’s highest in the AP’s preseason poll, topping the previous high of No. 4 leading into the 1981-82 season. The highest regular-season or final ranking in program history is also No. 2, which the Gamecocks held for three weeks in the 1981-82 season. The No. 2 spot in the poll is the highest of head coach Dawn Staley’s career, surpassing her previous high of No. 4, which the Gamecock owned for two weeks last season.
The Gamecocks host Coker in an exhibition game on Sun., Nov. 2, at 3 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena. Admission is free. South Carolina’s regular-season opener is slated for Sat., Nov. 15, against Southern Cal. Tipoff time for that game will be announced next week following the announcement of South Carolina’s football game time.
Season tickets are available for $50 each for a reserved seat or a Family Four-Pack of four general admission tickets for $100. Visit www.GameocksOnline.com/tickets or call 1-800-4SC-FANS to purchase season tickets.
AP Preseason Top 25
1. Connecticut
2. South Carolina
3. Notre Dame
4. Tennessee
5. Texas A&M
6. Stanford
7. Duke
8. Baylor
9. Texas
10. Maryland
11. Kentucky
12. Louisville
13. North Carolina
14. Michigan State
15. California
16. Nebraska
17. West Virginia
18. DePaul
19. Iowa
20. Oregon State
21. Ohio State
22. Dayton
23. UCLA
24. Rutgers
25. Syracuse
