UConn capped its season at No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll on Monday, one day after winning its 12th national championship.
The Huskies received all 31 votes from a national media panel after Geno Auriemma’s team beat South Carolina, 82-59, for the title. The Gamecocks, who started the season at No. 1, were the unanimous second choice.
A record five teams held the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 this year. South Carolina, UCLA, Notre Dame and Texas were also all first at some point this season. No. 3 UCLA and No. 4 Texas both made the Final Four while USC finished fifth.
It was UConn’s first time at No. 1 since the team finished the 2021 season that way. It’s also the 17th time overall that the Huskies have ended in the top spot. This year ended the longest drought for the Huskies not to close the season at No. 1 since they went five years in a row from 2003-08.
TCU, Duke, LSU, North Carolina State and Notre Dame rounded out the top 10.
It’s the second year that the AP released a final poll after the NCAA title game. In the past, the last Top 25 vote was released the day after the NCAA selection show.
[Read more: ‘My journey became hers’: Geno Auriemma, Paige Bueckers share fairytale ending]
Maryland made one of the biggest jumps in the poll after almost knocking off South Carolina in the Sweet 16. The Terrapins climbed to 12th from 18th.
Ole Miss climbed eight places to 17th after reaching the Sweet 16, where the Rebels lost to UCLA. It’s the first time that the team has been in the final poll since they were ranked 24th in 1996.
The SEC ended the season with eight ranked teams. The ACC, Big Ten and Big 12 each have five, while the Big East and Summit League each have one.
Here’s the full AP Top 25:
1. UConn
2. South Carolina
3. UCLA
4. Texas
5. USC
6. TCU
7. Duke
8. LSU
9. North Carolina State
10. Notre Dame
11. Oklahoma
12. Maryland
13. Kansas State
14. North Carolina
15. Tennessee
16. Kentucky
17. Ole Miss
18. Baylor
19. Ohio State
20. Alabama
21. West Virginia
22. Florida State
23. South Dakota State
24. Oklahoma State
25. Michigan
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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