CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – For the first time since the 1999-2000 campaign, Illinois women's basketball will be ranked in the Associated Press Preseason Poll, coming in at No. 23 to begin head coach Shauna Green's second season at the helm.
The 2023-24 season marks the fourth time in program history that Illinois has appeared in the AP Preseason Poll. Prior to this year, the Illini had appeared ahead of the 1997-98 (No. 7), 1998-99 (No. 25), and 1999-2000 (No. 12) campaigns – all under Hall of Fame head coach Theresa Grentz.
In 2022-23, Green's Illini broke into the AP Poll's Top 25 on Jan. 9, ending a streak of 8,072 days since Illinois women's basketball had been ranked by the AP. The Orange and Blue were ranked in the AP Poll four times across last season with the Fighting Illini program now appearing in 68 all-time polls across 10 different seasons. Shauna Green joined Theresa Grentz, Laura Golden, and Jane Schroeder as Illini coaches to lead a ranked Illinois squad. Green was the lone coach to achieve a Top-25 ranking in her first year leading the program.
Earlier this month, Illinois was picked to finish fifth in the Big Ten coaches' preseason poll. Looking across other NCAA women's basketball preseason polls, Illinois was ranked No. 21 by The Athletic and received votes in ESPN's early rankings.
Illinois is one of five Big Ten teams in the top-25 rankings. Iowa (3), Ohio State (7), Indiana (9), Maryland (14), and Illinois (23) represented the league, while Nebraska received votes.
In addition to the Illini's ranked Big Ten opponents, the Orange and Blue are also slated to face No. 10 Notre Dame this season.
