UCLA moves up to No. 1 in AP Top 25 women's basketball poll for first time in history
UCLA has earned the school's first No. 1 ranking in in The Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll
UCLA is the new No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll after a historic win that lifted the school to its first appearance in the top spot.
The Bruins knocked off South Carolina, the defending national champion that had held the top spot in the previous 23 polls, on Sunday with a dominant 77-62 victory that snapped UCLA's 0-20 record against No. 1 teams. It came in front of a raucous, star-studded crowd, too.
“I think the piece that really hits me is that we’re doing something for the first time in school history and we shared it with decades of alum,” UCLA coach Cori Close said Monday as the poll was released. “It was great to have so many alumni in our locker room to share it with. The people that blazed the trail for us we’re walking in is really special.”
UCLA, which was No. 5 in the poll last week, earned 20 first-place votes from the 32-member national media panel. UConn remained second, garnering nine first-place votes after a historic week of its own with coach Geno Auriemma setting the NCAA all-time victories record.
