Kim Mulkey and the LSU Tigers will start the season the same way the last one ended: at the top. The reigning national champions sit at No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll for the first time in program history.
The Tigers’ roster was looking solid already with Angel Reese returning along with Flau’jae Johnson and Kateri Poole, but Mulkey bolstered it by adding Louisville transfer Hailey Van Lith along with the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation. LSU is fresh off its first ever national title, and the Tigers will be on the hunt for another one.
Only three women’s basketball programs have been able to win the title in consecutive seasons: USC, Tennessee and UConn.
UConn has been struggling with injuries the past few seasons, but the Huskies will finally have Paige Bueckers back on the court. She sat out last season due to a torn ACL, but the 2021 Naismith Player of the Year is ready to bounce back. Geno Auriemma’s squad did well throughout their 2022-23 campaign considering the Huskies only had seven healthy players available at one point. If UConn can stay injury-free, this will certainly be a challenging team for anyone to face.
Meanwhile, the Iowa Hawkeyes made it all the way to the national title…
