Women's Hoops No. 1 in Big 12 Poll

Oct. 8, 2008

IRVING, Texas -- In a vote of the league's coaches released Wednesday, the University of Oklahoma women's basketball team was the preseason favorite to win the 2009 Big 12 regular season championship.

The recognition comes in the wake of the Sooner men topping their preseason poll, making Oklahoma the first institution to have both its men's and women's basketball teams voted preseason No. 1 in the Big 12's 13-year history.

"We are humbled by this selection considering the wealth of talent in our league," OU head coach Sherri Coale said. "There are 11 other teams in our conference who will challenge us each and every night for that top spot. Everyone in our gym realizes we are a long way from these lofty expectations and while a number one preseason ranking is flattering, the onus is on us to earn it by March."

Sherri Coale's Sooners earned seven of the 12 first-place votes (coaches are not allowed to vote for their own teams) and 124 points to take No. 1. Texas (95) received one first-place vote for second in a close vote over Iowa State (93), which received two first-place votes.

Baylor (89), with one first-place vote, Texas A&M (85), Oklahoma State (79 and one first-place vote), defending Big 12 champion Kansas State (71), Nebraska (56), Kansas (41), Texas Tech (36), Colorado (18) and Missouri (15), respectively, completed the poll.

It is the second time in the last three seasons (2006-07) that Oklahoma has been the coaches' preseason top pick and third time in the league's history (2001-02). The Big 12's preseason favroite has earned at least a share of the conference title in five of the previous 11 seasons the poll was conducted, including the two previous times OU was No. 1.

A challenge awaits for any team looking to take the Big 12 title. The conference led the nation in RPI in 2008 and had a 11 teams compete in postseason action, including eight in the NCAA Championship.

The Oklahoma Sooners return 11 players from last year's squad, including three-time consensus All-American and two-time Big 12 Player of the Year Courtney Paris and 2008 Big 12 Freshman of the Year Danielle Robinson.

The Sooners start 2008-09 with two exhibition games at the Lloyd Noble Center, Nov. 6 versus Western State College of Colorado and Nov. 11 against Oklahoma Christian. OU begins the regular season at home Nov. 15 against UC Riverside in the first round of the Preseason Women's National Invitational Tournament.

For 2008-09 ticket information, call the OU Athletics Ticket Office at (800) 456-4668 or (405) 325-2424, or view online here.

2008-09 Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Oklahoma (7), 124
2. Texas (1), 95
3. Iowa State (2), 93
4. Baylor (1), 89
5. Texas A&M, 85
6. Oklahoma State (1), 79
7. Kansas State, 71
8. Nebraska, 56
9. Kansas, 41
10. Texas Tech, 36
11. Colorado, 18
12. Missouri, 15
First-place votes in parenthesis. Coaches not allowed to vote for their own team.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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