Iowa 9th, Iowa State 12th in AP preseason women’s basketball poll

The University of Iowa women’s basketball season begins in 16 days.

The preseason hype? That begins now.

Iowa is ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press preseason poll, released Tuesday morning. It is the Hawkeyes’ highest preseason ranking since opening at No. 6 in 1996-97.

Iowa State is No. 12.

The Hawkeyes return all five starters from a team that went 20-10 and reached the Sweet 16 last year. That includes All-America sophomore Caitlin Clark, one of the nation’s most dynamic offensive players.

Clark averaged 26.6 points and 7.1 assists as a freshman.

All-Big Ten senior post Monika Czinano (19.3 points per game) also is back, along with juniors McKenna Warnock (12.0 ppg), Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall.

Even with the loss of backup post Sharon Goodman (torn ACL), the Hawkeyes return 91 percent of their scoring, plus welcome Iowa State transfer Kylie Feuerbach and three freshmen.

The Hawkeyes open with an exhibition game Nov. 4 against Truman State, then start for real against New Hampshire five days later.

South Carolina received 14 first-place votes and opens at No. 1. Connecticut grabbed 10 first-place votes and is second, followed by defending NCAA champion Stanford, which garnered five first-place votes.

Maryland is fourth, the highest of four Big Ten teams ranked in the top 11.

An Elite Eight team last year, Indiana is eighth, Iowa ninth and Michigan 11th.

Iowa State is the second-highest Big 12 squad in the rankings, behind No. 7 Baylor.

The Cyclones were 17-11 last year. Iowa City High grad Ashley Joens is back for her senior year after averaging 24.2 points and 9.5 rebounds last year. Two other starters are back — junior Lexi Donarski and sophomore Emily Ryan.

ISU has a home exhibition game Nov. 4 against Wisconsin-River Falls, then begins its regular season Nov. 9 against Omaha.

The Cy-Hawk game is Dec. 8 at Ames.

AP preseason women’s basketball poll

1. South Carolina (14) 705

2. Connecticut (10) 696

3. Stanford (5) 682

4. Maryland 632

5. North Carolina State 589

6. Louisville 575

7. Baylor 522

8. Indiana 521

9. Iowa 513

10. Oregon 479

11. Michigan 403

12. Iowa State 376

13. Kentucky 368

14. Oregon State 273

15. Tennessee 244

16. Florida State 231

T-17. Ohio State 197

T-17. Georgia Tech 197

19. West Virginia 192

20. UCLA 175

21. South Florida 146

22. Arizona 135

23. Texas A&M 123

24. Virginia Tech 98

25. Texas 79

Others receiving votes: Georgia 65, Michigan State 63, Florida Gulf Coast 43, Missouri State 18, South Dakota 13, Brigham Young 11, LSU 10, Arkansas 10, Washington State 9, Notre Dame 8, Oklahoma State 8, DePaul 6, Belmont 5, Oklahoma 3, South Dakota State 1, Mississippi 1.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com