Brittney Griner and Baylor are starting the season where they hope to end it — at No. 1.
The Lady Bears are ranked at the top for the first time in the preseason women’s basketball poll by The Associated Press. Baylor started last year at No. 2 before ascending to No. 1 in early January for the first time in school history. The Lady Bears finished with a No. 3 ranking.
“Certainly, we’d rather it was the last ranking, but it’s great recognition for our program and Baylor University,” coach Kim Mulkey said. “Regardless of where you’re ranked at the beginning of the season, it’s a positive for your university. We’ll embrace it in such a way and understand that it doesn’t win basketball games.”
Baylor received 33 of 40 first-place votes Saturday from a national media panel. The Lady Bears became the first Big 12 school to be ranked No. 1 to start the season since Texas in 1985 and 1986.
