South Florida lands in season-opening AP Poll

TAMPA (Oct. 19, 2021) – The University of South Florida women’s basketball team, entering its 50th Anniversary, will begin the season as one of the nation’s top-ranked teams in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 poll, which was announced on Tuesday. South Florida was slotted in at No. 21.

Click here to see the complete Associated Press Preseason Top 25 poll.

The Bulls, who finished the 2020-21 season No. 19 in the final AP poll, will face – or have the possibility of facing – seven teams that join them in the preseason poll, or that are receiving votes, including the top three teams, and four of the top 10. South Carolina, a possible opponent in the Bahamas during day three of the Battle 4 Atlantis (B4A) on Nov. 22, is the preseason No. 1 team in the nation, while UConn is No. 2. The Bulls and Huskies could face each other on day two of the B4A on Nov. 21. In addition, No. 10 Oregon and Oklahoma, which is receiving votes, are also possible day three opponents.

The defending American Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament champions, South Florida will conclude its four-game stretch in the Bahamas against No. 3-ranked, and defending national champion, Stanford in the Baha Man Pink Flamingo Championship in Nassau.

The Bulls will travel to Knoxville, Tennessee, to face No. 15 Tennessee on Nov. 15 in the AAC/SEC Challenge before heading to the Bahamas.

The Green and Gold close out their gauntlet of Top 25 nonconference opponents when they take on No. 15 West Virginia on Dec. 20 on day one of the West Palm Invitational.

South Florida, who was recently chosen to finish atop the American Athletic Conference this season in the league’s preseason coaches’ poll, tips off the 2021-22 campaign with back-to-back home games against Texas Rio Grande Valley and Alabama State on Tues., Nov. 9, and Thur., Nov. 11, respectively, before traveling to Knoxville to face the Lady Vols.