Iowa women’s basketball earns a No. 3 preseason ranking by AP and USA Today

IOWA CITY — Six months after its deepest postseason run ever, the Iowa women’s basketball team starts the new season in its highest preseason perch.

The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press preseason poll, released Tuesday.

Defending national champion LSU is No. 1. The Tigers earned 35 of 36 first-place votes and garnered 899 poll points.

LSU defeated the Hawkeyes, 102-85, in last year’s NCAA final.

Connecticut is No. 2, followed by Iowa, UCLA and Utah.

Among the 36 voters, six listed the Hawkeyes at No. 2. Eleven (including The Gazette’s Jeff Linder) had them at No. 3. Three panelists had them fourth, five at fifth, six at sixth, one at eighth and one at 10th.

South Carolina leads the second five, then it’s Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Indiana and Notre Dame.

Among other Big Ten teams, Maryland is 14th and Illinois is 23rd.

Texas is the top Big 12 team, at No. 11. Baylor is 19th. Iowa State was among others receiving votes.

Iowa, of course, returns reigning AP national player of the year Caitlin Clark, along with starters Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall, from a team that earned a school-record 31 wins last year.

The Hawkeyes were Big Ten regular-season runners-up before winning the Big Ten tournament title.

Iowa is a preseason top-10 team for the third consecutive year (it was No. 4 last year) and for the sixth time in program history.

In the USA Today coaches’ poll, Iowa was tabbed No. 3.

The AP preseason All-American team will be released next week.

Iowa hosts Clarke University in an exhibition game at 2 p.m. Sunday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, then hosts Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 6.

Associated Press women’s basketball preseason poll

1. LSU

2. Connecticut

3. Iowa

4. UCLA

5. Utah

6. South Carolina

7. Ohio State

8. Virginia Tech

9. Indiana

10. Notre Dame

11. Tennessee

12. Mississippi

13. Texas

14. Maryland

15. Stanford

16. North Carolina

17. Louisville

18. Florida State

19. Baylor

20. Colorado

21. USC

22. Creighton

23. Illinois

24. Washington State

25. Mississippi State

Others receiving votes: Kansas State, North Carolina State, Kansas, Texas A&M, Iowa State, Gonzaga, Duke, Nebraska, Miami, UNLV, Washington, Toledo, Oregon, Villanova, Arizona

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com