UConn's Women's Basketball team favorites for 2009 NCAA National Championship

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The Huskies open the preseason on Thursday, Nov. 6 when they play host to Stonehill College (Mass.) in a 7:30 p.m. tip at Gampel Pavilion.

The University of Connecticut women’s basketball team is the preseason favorite to win the 2009 NCAA National Championship, according to the preseason polls just released by Sporting News, Athlon and Lindy’s.

In addition, Sporting News chose UConn players Maya Moore (Lawrenceville, Ga.), Renee Montgomery (St. Albans, W. Va.) and Tina Charles (Jamaica, N.Y.) for the 10-member All-America First Team. UConn’s is the only program to have more than one player named to the squad.

USA Today’s College Basketball Preseason Sweet 16 list also includes UConn.

UConn returns 10 letter-winners and 4 starters from last season’s squad, which finished 36-2 overall and captured both the BIG EAST regular season and tournament titles before advancing to the ninth NCAA Final Four in UConn’s history.

The Huskies open the preseason on Thursday, Nov. 6 when they play host to Stonehill College (Mass.) in a 7:30 p.m.  tip at Gampel Pavilion.

The 2008-09 regular season opens on Sunday, Nov. 16 against Georgia Tech at Gampel Pavilion beginning at 2 p.m.

Here are the poll’s rankings:

Sporting News Top-25

1. Connecticut [UConn]

2. Maryland

3. Oklahoma

4. Stanford

5. Rutgers

6. North Carolina

7. Tennessee

8. Duke

9. Louisville

10. Cal

11. Texas A&M

12. Oklahoma State

13. Virginia

14. Notre Dame

15. Vanderbilt

16. Texas

17. Arizona State

18. Baylor

19. Ohio State

20. Florida State

21. Marist

22. Xavier

23. Auburn

24. Syracuse

25. Marquette

Athlon Top-25

1. Connecticut [UConn]

2. California

3. Stanford

4. Texas A&M

5. Duke

6. Maryland

7. Oklahoma

8. Arizona State

9. Tennessee

10. Louisville

11. Rutgers

12. North Carolina

13. Ohio State

14. Texas

15. Old Dominion

16. Vanderbilt

17. Oklahoma State

18. Virginia

19. Kansas State

20. Florida State

21. Xavier

22. Auburn

23. Michigan State

24. Utah

25. Pittsburgh

Lindy’s Top-25

1. Connecticut [UConn]

2. Stanford

3. Maryland

4. Tennessee

5. Rutgers

6. North Carolina

7. Duke

8. California

9. Louisville

10. Oklahoma

11. Texas A&M

12. Oklahoma State

13. LSU

14. Texas

15. Virginia

16. Baylor

17. Ohio State

18. Vanderbilt

19. Auburn

20. Notre Dame

21. Arizona State

22. Florida State

23. USC

24. Pittsburgh

25. Marquette

2008-09 Sporting News Preseason All-America Team

FIRST TEAM

1. Maya Moore 6-1 So. Connecticut 17.8

2. Courtney Paris 6-4 Sr. Oklahoma 18.6

3. Kristi Toliver 5-7 Sr. Maryland 17.1

4. Angel McCoughtry 6-1 Sr. Louisville 23.8

5. Andrea Riley 5-5 So. Oklahoma State 23.1

6. Tina Charles 6-4 Jr. Connecticut 14.2

7. Renee Montgomery 5-7 Sr. Connecticut 14.1

8. Eipiphanny Prince 5-9 Jr. Rutgers 13.8

9. Ashley Walker 6-0 Sr. California 15.3

10. Takei Starks 5-8 Sr. Texas A&M 15.3

For More Information

http://mansfield.htnp.com/sports/uconn_womens_bball_no_1_pick.html