Preseason Top 25 - Women's Basketball edition

November 4, 7:23 PMCincinnati Sports ExaminerJayson Ameer Rasheed

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Senior Tina Charles is the second best player in the country. UConn also has the best, Maya Moore.

AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

Well with basketball season upon, the sports writers at the Examiner will vote in our own Top 25 for the beloved readers of the Examiner. Some of you will agree, some of you will not. But so it the life of athletics and that is why we love it. Feel free to comment on my first preseason installment.

Due to the limited number of participants, the Examiner will not publish their rankings weekly. However, you can track my thoughts weekly.

Examiner Preseason Top 25

1. UCONN - Geno Auriemma said it best last season, “We have Maya Moore, and they don’t”. Well they same still applies. However, a replacement for Renee Montgomery must be found.

2. STANFORD - Back to back trips to the National Championship game could provide additional motivation. Having Jayne Appel doesn’t hurt.

3. OHIO STATE - Reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Samantha Prahalis is the perfect complement to forward Jantel Lavendar. Now can the Buckeyes translate regular success into NCAA tournament success.

4. NOTRE DAME - Guards Ashley Barlow and Lindsay Schrader lead the Fighting Irish. If they can avoid the injury bug, Notre Dame could be one of the deepest teams in the country.

5. MICHIGAN STATE - Everything starts with 6-9 center Allyssa DeHaan, but she is prone to disappearing at times. Senior Aisha Jefferson, last season’s leading scorer, also returns.

6. NORTH CAROLINA - Dynamic guards Italee Lucas and Cetera DeGraffenreid will have to carry a huge part of the load, especially if Jessica Breland (diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma) is out for an extended period of time.

7. DUKE - Finding replacements for Chante Black and Abby Waner are the top priority for the new-look Blue Devils.

8. VIRGINIA - Guard Monica Wright and her 20.5 points per game return to pace Virginia’s high-powered offense.

9. XAVIER - Ta’Shia Phillips and April Phillips form a formidable duo. With the return of a healthy Amber Harris, the Musketeers could have one of the country’s best frontcourts.

10. OKLAHOMA - The Paris sisters have moved on, but they have a pair of 6-2 forwards to replace them. Danielle Robinson and Whitney Hand form a potent backcourt.

11. LSU - All but one key member to last year’s youth dominated team returns for the Lady Tigers.

12. TENNESSEE - A first-round NCAA loss doesn’t sit well in Knoxville. Don’t look for Rocky Top to crumble anytime soon.

13. BAYLOR - The Bears’ freshmen quartet enter with a lot of hype and a lot of expectations. Senior Morghan Medlock, along with juniors Melissa Jones and Kelli Griffin, will have to help keep Baylor afloat.

14. TEXAS - With a year of Gail Goestenkors’ system under their belt, the Longhorns will be ready to reclaim its spot amongst the country’s elite.

15. FLORIDA STATE - It’s gonna be difficult for the Seminoles to repeat as ACC co-champs, but forward Jacinta Monroe (13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks) returns.

16. DEPAUL - Run with the Blue Devils if you dare, and Deirdre Naughton returns as team’s primary scoring option.

17. GEORGIA TECH - With a solid defensive foundation in place, a fourth straight 20-win season is almost guaranteed for the Yellow Jackets.

18. ARIZONA STATE - The Sun Devils lost six members due to graduation, and leading scorer Dymond Simon is not expected to return until mid-December.

19. CALIFORNIA - With the departure of Ashley Walker and Devanie Hampton, the bulk of the scoring load falls on Alexis Gray-Lawson.

20. MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE - Alysha Clark, the country’s leading scorer, is back. But, where is her help???

21. KANSAS - The Jayhawks will be led by the Big 12 preseason Player of the Year Danielle McCray.

22. GEORGIA - Ashley Houts returns to lead the Lady Bulldogs.

23. RUTGERS - Vivian Stringer’s team came along late last season, but Epiphany Prince’s decision to go overseas hurts.

24. MARIST - Finding a complementary scorer for Rachele Fitz needs to be found. Junior guard Erica Allenspach is the leading candidate.

25. LOUISVILLE - Candyce Bingham and Angel McCoughtry are gone. Taft graduate Desiree Byrd, Monique Reid and Becky Burke will need to step up their play.