Six Big Ten Women’s Basketball Programs Appear In 2022-23 AP Preseason Poll
Big Ten leads nation with a conference-record number of teams in preseason balloting
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference placed a nation-leading six member institutions in the 2022-23 Associated Press preseason women’s basketball poll released Tuesday. Along with having more Top 25 programs than any other conference in the country, the Big Ten’s six ranked teams are also the most the conference has ever had in an AP preseason poll, which has existed since the 1976-77 season.
Defending Big Ten co-champion and tournament champion Iowa leads the conference contingent at No. 4, the Hawkeyes’ highest preseason ranking since 1993-94, when they opened at No. 2 following the program’s first trip to the NCAA Women’s Final Four. Earlier this month, Iowa was selected by both the Big Ten coaches and media as the preseason favorite to earn the conference title.
Indiana is ranked No. 11 in the AP preseason poll, the same position the Hoosiers finished last season when they advanced to their second consecutive NCAA Sweet Sixteen. Indiana was selected to finish in the top three in the Big Ten by both the conference coaches and media, with the media placing the Hoosiers second and the coaches third.
Ohio State, which shared last year’s Big Ten title with Iowa, earned a No. 14 ranking in the AP preseason poll. The Buckeyes also advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen last season, part of a conference record-tying four Big Ten schools to reach the second weekend of the tournament. Ohio State was also a top-three selection in the preseason Big Ten rankings, tabbed second by the coaches and third by the media.
Maryland starts the season at No. 17 in the AP poll, as the Terrapins come off their second consecutive NCAA Sweet Sixteen berth. Maryland has won six Big Ten titles and five Big Ten Tournament championships since joining the conference in 2014-15 and was predicted to finish fourth in this year’s preseason balloting by both the Big Ten coaches and media.
That ’14-15 campaign also marked the last time Nebraska appeared in the AP preseason poll prior to Tuesday’s No. 22 ranking. The Huskers advanced to the NCAA Tournament and the Big Ten Tournament semifinals last season, with the Big Ten media voting Nebraska fifth in its preseason poll.
Rounding out the Big Ten’s Top 25 group is Michigan, which was ranked No. 25 in the AP survey. The Wolverines are coming off a historic season that saw them reach the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time in program history. The Big Ten coaches selected Michigan in the No. 5 position in their preseason rankings earlier this month.
The 2022-23 Big Ten Conference season tips off Nov. 7, with a trio of nationally televised matchups during the opening week of the season. No. 14 Ohio State plays host to No. 5 Tennessee on Nov. 8 (8:30 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network and the FOX Sports app), while No. 17 Maryland entertains top-ranked (and defending national champion) South Carolina on Nov. 11 (6 p.m. ET on ESPN2). Earlier on Nov. 11, Wisconsin will take on Kansas State in the Brew City Battle at American Family Field in Milwaukee (home of Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers). The game will tip off at 4:30 p.m. (ET) and will be televised live on BTN and the FOX Sports app.
The 30th Big Ten Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament will take place March 1-5, 2023, at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The 2023 NCAA Women’s Final Four is scheduled for March 31 and April 2 at American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas.