Sept. 17, 1999

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The first of the women's basketball polls is out and the University of Illinois Fighting Illini top the list of Big Ten teams. The Women's Basketball News Service (WBNS) has tabbed the Illini No. 12 in the Nation.

Other Big Ten teams on the list were Penn State at No. 14, Ohio State at No. 18 and Wisconsin at No. 24.

The Illini have been as high as fifth in national poll, that coming in December 1997. Illinois was pre-season No. 24 in the nation according to the Associated Press last season. The Illini advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, before losing to Clemson.

Illinois put on a impressive display in the Big Ten Tournament two weeks before, defeating Michigan and Penn State, before bowing by four points to eventual national champion Purdue.

Illini play four of the top nine teams in the country --No. 1 Connecticut, No. 6 Georgia, No. 8 UC-Santa Barbara (potentially in the Pre-season WNIT), and No. 9 Notre Dame Women's Basketball News Service Pre-season Top 25

    1. Connecticut            14. Penn State 
    2. UCLA                   15. Virginia 
    3. Tennessee              16. Old Dominion 
    4. Louisiana Tech         17. Oregon 
    5. Rutgers                18. Ohio State 
    6. Georgia                19. Nebraska 
    7. Iowa State             20. Auburn 
    8. UC-Santa Barbara       21. Arkansas 
    9. Notre Dame             22. Boston College  
    10. North Carolina        23. Colorado State 
    11. George Washington     24. Wisconsin 
    12. Illinois              25. Alabama 
    13. Texas Tech