DePaul Women Debut at No. 19 in Coaches Poll

CHICAGO – The DePaul women's basketball team was placed at No. 19 in the preseason USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Coaches poll released on Wednesday. It is the same spot that DePaul was ranked in last season's preseason poll. The Blue Demons are one of three BIG EAST programs in the preseason top 25 with No. 8 Connecticut and No. 11 Rutgers.

Following the No. 19 slot to start the 2005-06 season, DePaul climbed as high as No. 10 on the way to a 27-7 record and the first Sweet 16 appearance in school history. The Blue Demons have been ranked in the ESPN/USA Today top 25 each poll since entering at No. 21 on Dec. 22, 2003 – a span of 34 consecutive polls.

In addition to the two BIG EAST opponents in the top 11, DePaul opens the season at No. 3 Oklahoma in the State Farm Tip-Off Classic. The ESPN2-televised game is Nov. 12 at 2:30 p.m. No. 9 Georgia and No. 11 Rutgers open the doubleheader in Norman, Okla.

DePaul placed No. 19 with 178 points behind No. 18 Baylor with 192 points. New Mexico fell just behind the Blue Demons with 178 points. Defending NCAA Champion Maryland was the preseason No. 1 team with 29 first-place votes and 773 points. North Carolina was slotted at No. 2 with 709 points ahead of Oklahoma's 686 points.

Prior to the trip to Oklahoma, the Blue Demons host Lewis and the Chicago Challengers in a pair of exhibition games. Lewis visits McGrath Arena on Nov. 1 followed by the Challengers on Nov. 4.

ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll