Champs Earn No. 1 Rating

Connecticut had to play women’s basketball for 19-1/2 years before getting a No. 1 ranking. Once there, the Huskies haven’t given it up.

After leading the Associated Press poll for the final nine weeks last season and then winning the national championship, Connecticut was voted No. 1 in the 1995-96 preseason poll.

Connecticut, 35-0 last season, was a solid choice for No. 1, receiving 26 of 40 first-place votes. No. 2 Georgia, which joined Connecticut in the 1995 Final Four and returns all five starters, received seven first-place votes. No. 3 Virginia had four, No. 4 Louisiana Tech got one and No. 5 Vanderbilt picked up two.

Ranking Pac-10 teams were Stanford (7), Southern Cal (16), Oregon State (20) and Washington (25).