Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Ranked 17th In Preseason USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll
11/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 1, 2006
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Seventh-year head coach Joanne P. McCallie has helped the Michigan State women's basketball team reach several new heights during her tenure inside the Breslin Center. On Wednesday morning, the USA Today/ESPN Coachs' Preseason Poll showed a measure of national respect for the Spartans, as the 2006 squad will open its season ranked 17th in the nation by the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll, the 50th time in the last 51 polls that the team has earned a ranking.
The ranking comes after Michigan State has made back-to-back trips to the Sweet 16 and a 2005 National Championship game appearance. In 2005-06, the Spartans went 24-10 and concluded a third-place, 11-5 campaign in the Big Ten. Despite losing the program's two all-time leading scorers, the Spartans return three starters and nine letterwinners from that squad.
Michigan State reached a program-best second in the rankings in the final 2004-05 poll after its run to the national championship game. The Spartans entered the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll for the first time in the McCallie era on Dec. 29, 2003, ranking 22nd, falling out of the poll only during the final 2003-04 poll after reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Defending NCAA Champion Maryland topped the poll with 29 of 31 preseason first-place votes and 773 points. The Spartans will meet Maryland on the road in a CBS game on Jan. 6. The Spartans play four other teams ranked in the top 25 of the Coaches' Poll as the team will square off against Ohio State (7th, away, Feb. 18), Louisiana State (10th, home, Dec. 17), Rutgers (11th, away, Jan. 28) and Purdue (13th, home, Jan. 11; away, Feb.11). The Spartans also play three teams that received votes in Hartford (home, Dec. 9), South Florida (home, Dec. 3) and Iowa (away, Jan. 14; home, Jan. 21).
The Spartans have been in 54 straight Associated Press polls. The 2006-07 Preseason AP poll has not been released yet.
The Spartans open up their exhibition season at the Breslin Center on Thursday, Nov. 2 with a 7 p.m. test against 2006 NCAA Division II National Champion Grand Valley State.
For the complete poll, please visit: Preseason USA Today/ESPN Division I Women's Basketball Rankings.
