The USA Today/ESPN Coaches' preseason poll was released today. Defending National Champions Tennessee led the way with 26 1st place votes followed by Connecticut, Rutgers, Maryland, and LSU to round out the Top 5.

USA Today/ESPN Preseason Poll:
1 Tennessee (26)
2 Connecticut (4)
3 Rutgers**
4 Maryland
5 LSU* (1)
6 Oklahoma
7 North Carolina*
8 Stanford*
9 Duke^
10 Georgia
11 Texas A&M
12 Arizona State
13 George Washington
14 California
15 Baylor
16 Ohio State
17 Vanderbilt
18 Michigan State
19 Florida State
20 Purdue*
21 Pittsburgh*
22 West Virginia*
23 Louisville*
24 Texas
25 NC State

*UConn opponent
^Potential UConn opponent (in Paradise Jam)

Wow!! I can't believe it's been exactly one year since I started this blog. Happy 1st Anniversary to ME!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

Suprise! Suprise!! Connecticut was picked to win the 2007-08 Big East Conference Regular Season title in a poll voted on by the league coaches. Connecticut was the unanimous pick by all the coaches except for Geno (who can't vote for his own team--so he voted for Rutgers). Louisville's Angel McCoughtry was tabbed as the 2007-08 Preseason Big East POTY and Connecticut's Maya Moore was tabbed as the 2007-08 Preseason Big East FOTY. Eleven players were named to the 2007-08 Preseason All Big East Team including Connecticut's Charles and Montgomery and 3 were named honorable mention including Connecticut's Houston.

2007-08 Preseason Big East Poll:
1. Connecticut (15)
2. Rutgers (1)
3. West Virginia
4. Pittsburgh
5. Notre Dame
6. Louisville
7. DePaul
8. Marquette
9. South Florida
10. Seton Hall
11. St. John's
12. Villanova
13. Syracuse
14. Cincinnati
15. Providence
16. Georgetown

2007-08 Preseason All Big East Team:
Matee Ajavon, Rutgers, Sr., G
Charel Allen, Notre Dame, Sr., G
*Essence Carson, Rutgers, Sr., F/G
Tina Charles, Connecticut, So., C
Krystal Ellis, Marquette, Jr., G
*Angel McCoughtry, Louisville, Jr., F
Renee Montgomery, Connecticut, Jr., G
*Olayinka Sanni, West Virginia, Sr., C
Kia Vaughn, Rutgers, Jr., C
*Marcedes Walker, Pittsburgh, Sr., C
Shavonte Zellous, Pittsburgh, RS-Jr., G
* - unanimous selection

2007-08 Preseason All Big East honorable mention:
Allie Quigley, DePaul, Sr., G
Charde Houston, Connecticut, Sr., F
Kia Wright, St. John’s, Sr., G

Now that the 2007-08 WCBB season has officially started, here is MY 2007-08 Pre-season Top 25:

1. Tennessee
2. Connecticut
3. Rutgers**
4. LSU*
5. Maryland
6. Duke^
7. North Carolina*
8. Stanford*
9. Oklahoma
10. Texas A&M
11. Arizona State
12. West Virginia*
13. George Washington
14. Pittsburgh*
15. Georgia
16. Baylor
17. Notre Dame*
18. Ohio State
19. California
20. Louisville*
21. Michigan State
22. Texas
23. Florida State
24. Vanderbilt
25. Purdue*

*UConn opponent
^Potential UConn opponent (in Paradise Jam)

The USA Senior National Team qualified for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics with a victory in the gold medal game over Cuba, 101-71, in the 2007 FIBA Americas Tournament down in Valdivia, Chile. They were led by Diana Taurasi who had a double-double with 15 pts. and 12 rebs. and 18 pts. from Tina Thompson. Sue Bird (5 pts. & 3 asts.) and Swin Cash (2 pts. & 2 rebs) were also members of the team.

7 of 12 spots taken for 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics:
(August 8-24, 2008)
Host - China
World Champion - Australia
Africa - Mali
America - United States
Asia - Korea
Europe - Russia
Oceania - New Zealand

Teams* in the 2008 Olympics Qualifying Tournament:
(June 9-15, 2008)
Africa (2) - Senegal & Angola
America (3) - Cuba, Brazil, & Argentina
Asia (2) - Japan & Chinese Taipei
Europe (4) - Spain, Belarus, Latvia, & Czech Republic
Oceania (1) - Fiji

*the Top 5 advance on to the olympic games

The 2007-08 SEASON has ARRIVED!!!!!!!!!!

The Huskies will begin their quest for title #6 (and #1 for this group) tonight at UConn's First Night at 7:30pm in Gampel. A live webcast (paid subscription required) will be shown on the NEW Husky All-Access site (a free archive webcast will be available). The Husky All-Access site will televise post-game news conferences as well as the Nov. 6th Exb. Game vs. Div II National Champion Southern CT State Uni.

For Geno & Co. it will be business as usual, as the team focuses to get back to the Final 4 and of course, win the National Championship. This will be the last chance for the Seniors to make it past the Elite 8. The team held its annual Media Day on Wed., and Geno says McLaren has made to most remarkable change of anyone, Dixon is faster than lightning (she broke Abrosimova's mile run record), Charles physically looks great after offseason shoulder surgery, and Houston is getting herself geared up for a big finish!!!

In recruiting news, Geno is showing no signs of letting up on the rest of the country by taking a visit down to Sugarland, Texas to pay a visit to the #1 prospect in the 2009 class, 6'6 C Kelsey Bone. While it was exciting for her and her mother that Geno showed up in person, her mother (Kim Williams) admits that her daughter will go through all the steps of the recruiting process with her eyes wide open and there is no favorite in sight.

And here's a closer look at rest UConn seems to be focusing in on for 2009 (which will have 4 scholarships open).