US Edition50 years of the women's basketball poll: From scrappy beginnings to a force in the sport
The AP women's basketball poll has influenced recruiting and fan engagement for 50 years, with Tennessee appearing in 794 of 885 rankings, the most of any team.
- The upcoming season marks the poll's 50th year and serves as a roadmap for fans, players and coaches as women's college basketball grows in popularity.
- When the poll started, women's games rarely aired on national television and the internet was absent, so it initially ranked only the top 20 teams to address this gap.
- Tiny Immaculata established early dominance by winning the first three national AIAW titles, and Langston Rogers recalled the ranking as defining for coach Margaret Wade's teams, which won three straight titles and a 51-game streak.
- No team has been ranked more than Tennessee, which appeared in 794 of the 885 polls, and the Lady Vols under coach Pat Summitt set the standard, with Candace Parker saying Summitt used rankings as motivation.
- On Martin Luther King Day, the Huskies' win delayed the poll and made them No. 1 the next day, while Geno Auriemma called being top-ranked a powerful validation.
36 Articles
36 Articles
Associated Press News
50 years of the women's basketball poll: From scrappy beginnings to a force in the sport
Women’s college basketball wasn’t always the behemoth with storied programs like UConn, Tennessee and South Carolina dominating the headlines and the Final Four.
50 years of the women's basketball poll: From scrappy beginnings
Women’s college basketball wasn’t always dominated by UConn, Tennessee and South Carolina. A half-century ago, tiny Immaculata won the first three national AIAW titles. Delta State soon followed before the likes of Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion and Rutgers started a slow trend of bigger programs becoming the backbone of a fledgling sport that many Americans were — and are — still learning to appreciate. The women’s basketball poll has been there …
50 years of the women’s basketball poll: From scrappy beginnings to a force in the sport
Women’s college basketball wasn’t always dominated by UConn, Tennessee and South Carolina. A half-century ago, tiny Immaculata won the first three national AIAW titles. Delta State soon followed before the likes of Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion and Rutgers started a slow trend of bigger programs becoming the backbone of a fledgling sport that many Americans were — and are — still learning to appreciate. The women’s basketball poll has been there …
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 81% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
