View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
Durantula
Joined: 30 Mar 2013 Posts: 5223
Back to top |
Posted: 04/09/14 9:04 pm ::: Way too early pre-season top 25 |
Reply |
|
I'll throw out my preseason top 25 which is probably really bad because I could be forgetting some good teams and players. More of a discussion point than any real ranking outside of UConn being the sure fire #1.
1. UConn Defending national champs lose two key starters but return the best player in the country, best shooter in the country, return Morgan Tuck from injury and add three top 10 recruits.
a. Lose: Stefanie Dolson, Bria Hartley
b. Return: Breanna Stewart, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Moriah Jefferson
c. Add: #2 Gabby Williams, #6 Sadie Edwards, #8 Courtney Ekmark
2. Notre Dame
a. Lose: Achonwa, McBride, Braker
b. Return: Loyd, Reimer, Allen, Mabrey, Wright
c. Add: #4 Brianna Turner, #21 Kathryn Westbeld, #50 Mychal Johnson
3. North Carolina 3 point specialist Megan Buckland will return after missing the season with injury.
a. Lose: No one
b. Return: DeShields, Gray, Mavunga, McDaniel
c. Add: #52 Jamie Cherry
4. South Carolina There is only one big name recruit uncommitted, and for the sake of this poll I am projecting Aja Wilson to sign with South Carolina.
a. Lose: Wilka Montout
b. Return: Tiffany Mitchell, Aleighsa Welch, Tiffany Mitchell, Alaina Coates
c. Add: #12 Jatarie White, #48 Bianca Cuevas, #51 Kaydra Duckett, #128 Doniyah Cliney
5. Tennessee HS All American Jannah Tucker will play this season after redshirting her freshman year.
a. Lose: Meighan Simmons
b. Return: Harrison, Graves, Russell, Burdick, Carter, Massengale
c. Add: #25 Jamie Nared, #46 Alexa Middleton, #65 Kortney Dunbar
6. Duke HS All American Rebecca Greenwell will play this season after redshirting her freshman year. Alexis Jones should be healed from her injury.
a. Lose: Haley Peters, Tricia Liston, Richa Jackson, Chelsea Gray
b. Return: Alexis Jones, Elizabeth Williams, Oderah Chidom, Kendall Cooper
c. Add: #13 Sierra Calhoun, #27 Azura Stevens, #31 Lynee Belton, #81 Erin Mathias
7. Texas A&M One loss and it is a big one, 67 Karla Gilbert but A&M will bring in top 20 recruit, 65 Khaalia Hillsman from Chicago.
a. Lose: Karla Gilbert
b. Return: Courtney Williams, Courtney Walker, Jordan Jones, Achiri Ade
c. Add: #20 Khaalia Hillsman
8. Texas High ranking for a team that finished outside the top 25, but they are bringing in a talented freshman class.
a. Lose: Chassidy Fussell, GiGi Mazionyte
b. Return: Imani McGee-Stafford, Nneka Enemkpali
c. Add: #11 Ariel Atkins, #18 Brooke McCarty, #145 Dani Akigbogun
9. Kentucky
a. Lose: Denesha Stallworth, Samarie Walker, Bernisha Pinkett, Kastine Evans
b. Return: Jennifer ONeill, Janee Thompson, Linnae Harper, Bria Goss, Makayla Epps
c. Add: #35 Alexis Jennings, #44 Alyssa Rice
10. Louisville
a. Lose: Shoni Schimmel, Asia Taylor, Antonita Slaughter, Tia Gibbs
b. Return: Sara Hammond, Shawnta Dyer, Bria Smith, Jude Schimmel,
c. Add: #16 Myisha Hines-Allen, #22 Mariya Moore, #39 Sydney Brackemyre, #41 Ariana Freeman, #66 Arica Carter
11. California
a. Lose: Afure Jemerigbe
b. Return: Reshanda Gray, Brittany Boyd, Courtney Range, Mercedes Jefflo
c. Add: #5 Gabby Green, #30 Mikayla Cowling
12. Stanford
a. Lose: Chiney Ogwumike, Sara James, Mikaela Ruef
b. Return: Lili Thompson, Amber Orrange, Erica McCall, Kailee Johnson, Bonnie Samuelson, Karlie Samuelson
c. Add: #24 Taylor Rooks, #47 Brittany McPhee, #107 Kaylee Johnson
13. Maryland
a. Lose: Alyssa Thomas, Alicia Devaughn
b. Return: Laurin Mincy, Brionna Jones, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Lexie Brown, Malina Howard
c. Add: #45 Aja Ellison, #55 Kristen Confroy, #58 Kiara Leslie
14. Baylor
a. Lose: Odyssey Sims, Makenzie Robertson, Mariah Chandler
b. Return: Nina Davis, Alexis Prince, Niya Johnson, Ieshia Small, Sune Agbuke,
c. Add: #49 Dekeiya Cohen, #92 Micayla Buckner
15. Iowa
a. Lose: Theairra Taylor
b. Return: Samantha Logic, Bethany Doolittle, Melissa Dixon, Ally Disterhoft, Kali Peschal, Alexa Kastanek
c. Add: #132 Whitney Jennings
16. Oklahoma State
a. Lose: Tiffany Bias, Kendra Suttles
b. Return: Brittney Martin, Roshunda Johnson, Liz Donohoe, LaShawn Jones
c. Add: No Top 150 recruits
17. Michigan State
a. Lose: Annalise Pickrel, Klarissa Bell
b. Return: Aerial Powers, Tori Jankoska, Becca Mills, Branndais Agee, Kiana Johnson
c. Add: #23 Jasmine Lumpkin, #60 Alexis Gussert,
18. Oregon State
a. Lose: Alyssa Martin
b. Return: Sydney Weise, Ruth Hamblin, Jamie Weisner, Ali Gibson, Deven Hunter
c. Add: No Top 150 recruits
19. DePaul
a. Lose: Jasmine Penny,
b. Return: Megan Rogowski, Brittany Hrynko, Chanise Jenkins, Jessica January,
c. Add: #109 Marte Grays
20. Gonzaga
a. Lose: Haiden Palmer
b. Return: Sunny Greinacher, Lindsay Sherbert, Keani Albanez,Kiara Kudron
c. Add: No Top 150 recruits
21. Southern California
a. Lose: Cassie Harberts
b. Return: Ariya Crook, Jordan Adams, Kiki Alofaituli, Alexyz Vaioletama
c. Add: #37 McKenzie Calvert, #53 Kristen Simon, #94 Chyanne Butler, #103 Amy Okonkwo
22. Arizona State
a. Lose: Deja Mann, Adrianne Thomas, Joy Burke
b. Return: Katie Hempen, Sophie Brunner, Kelsey Moos, Promise Amukamara
23. Middle Tennessee State
24. James Madison
25. St. Johns
Now I also looked at who will have the best pure talent by number of McDonald's HS All Americans. If you went strictly by that, here is the ranking of teams.
1. Duke 8 Amber Henson, Elizabeth Williams, Alexis Jones, Rebecca Greenwell, Kendall Cooper-McCravey, Oderah Chidom, Lynee Belton, Sierra Calhoun
1. UConn 8 Brianna Banks, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Kiah Stokes, Morgan Tuck, Moriah Jefferson, Breanna Stewart, Sadie Edwards, Gabby Williams
3. Tennessee 7 Cierra Burdick, Ariel Massengale, Bashaara Graves, Jordan Reynolds, Mercedes Russell, Alexa Middleton, Jaime Nared,
4. Kentucky 6 Jennifer ONeill, Bria Goss, Janee Thompson, Makayla Epps, Linnae Harper, Alyssa Rice
4. Notre Dame 6 Michaela Mabrey, Jewell Loyd, Lindsay Allen, Taya Reimer, Kathryn Westbeld, Brianna Turner,
6. Southern Cal 4 Kaneisha Horn, Alexyz Vaioletama, Ariya Crook, Jordan Adams
6. Stanford 4 Bonnie Samuelson, Amber Orrange, Erica McCall, Kailee Johnson,
6. Rutgers 4 Briyona Canty, Betnijah Laney, Kahleah Copper, Tyler Scaife
6. North Carolina 4 Xylina McDaniel, Jessica Washington, Diamond DeShields, Stephanie Mavunga
6. Louisville 4 - Bria Smith, Sara Hammond, Myisha Hines-Allen, Mariya Moore
11. UCLA 4 Nirra Fields, Recee Caldwell, Jordin Canada, Lajahna Drummer
11. Cal 4 Justine Hartman, Reshanda Gray, Mikayla Cowling, Gabby Green
13. Maryland 3 Laurin Mincy, Malina Howard, Lexie Brown
13. Baylor 3 Alexis Prince, Niya Johnson, Ieshia Small
13. Florida State 3 Morgan Jones, Kai James, Shakayla Thomas
13. South Carolina 3 Alaina Coates, Bianca Cuevas, Jatarie White
13. Texas 3 Imani McGee-Stafford, Ariel Atkins, Brooke McCarty
18. Penn State 2 Sierra Moore, Candace Agee
18. Texas A&M 2 Courtney Williams, Jordan Jones
18. Syracuse 2 Brianna Butler, Brittney Sykes,
18. Florida 2 Cassie Peoples, Ronni Williams
18. Washington 2 Katie Collier, Kelsey Plum
23. Illinois 1 Chatrice White
23. Michigan State 1 Madison Williams
23. Gonzaga 1 - Lindsay Sherbert
23. Iowa 1 Samantha Logic,
23. Harvard 1 Temi Fagbenle
23. Dayton 1 Allyson Mallott
23. West Virginia 1 Bria Holmes
23. Vanderbilt 1 Rebekah Dahlman
23. Northwestern 1 Nia Coffey
23. Georgia Tech 1 Kaela Davis
23. Ohio State 1 Kelsey Mitchell
|
|
NoDakSt
Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 4929
Back to top |
Posted: 04/09/14 9:17 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
I'd give Nebraska a little top 20 love.
They lose the Hoop(er) but return Cady, Theriot, Sample, Laudermill, and Jeffrey. Plus they have a solid incoming class with Natalie Romero (did we ever decide if she tore her ACL), and Kaylee Page.
Last edited by NoDakSt on 04/09/14 9:29 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
Shades
Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 63841
Back to top |
|
joetro
Joined: 30 Nov 2006 Posts: 334
Back to top |
Posted: 04/09/14 10:39 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
No UCLA? Monster class coming in.
|
|
FollowtheCardinalRule
Joined: 12 Oct 2011 Posts: 5153 Location: Denver
Back to top |
Posted: 04/09/14 10:54 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
Texas is too high, especially given that they are losing one of their top players in Fussell. Texas always says they're going to do well and looks like it on paper, but underperform on the court except when they play Stanford apparently. I also don't know that Duke is that high without Liston, Peters and Jackson--but it really depends on how much Chidom and Jones step up. Kentucky loses some really important post players--who were all important roles in a clunky offense. Where does the scoring come from now?
Good god, Louisville without Shoni. No Slaughter, Gibbs, OR Taylor? Uhm. Good luck Louisville, Walz has a challenge on his hands.
Cal certainly seems a bit inflated--they did lose to George Washington but showed some moxie against Baylor. Healthy, they can be a great team, but this high? It'll depend on how quickly Green and Cowling develop.
Without defenses keying in on Sims, I'm not sure how Davis will perform next season, interesting to see how her sophomore season goes.
Gonzaga loses Kelly Graves--arguably the biggest loss of any team thus far in the off season--I expect them to go through some growing pains with a new coach, don't expect them to be Top 25.
|
|
FollowtheCardinalRule
Joined: 12 Oct 2011 Posts: 5153 Location: Denver
Back to top |
Posted: 04/09/14 10:57 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
joetro wrote: |
No UCLA? Monster class coming in. |
Yeah, I'm excited for the Pac-12. You have the returning champion in Stanford being challenged by a bunch of upstarts such as USC, Oregon State, UCLA and heck, throw Oregon in there with the talent Oregon supposedly has with the greatly inflated stats of their players combined with the efficiency of Graves. Then Cal and Arizona State are desperately trying to cling to that top rung they've been a part of for a while. Should make for a great season.
|
|
beknighted
Joined: 11 Nov 2004 Posts: 11050 Location: Lost in D.C.
Back to top |
Posted: 04/09/14 11:05 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
I suppose I should point out that Rutgers returns everyone who matters, including the AAC frosh of the year. (Precious Person is transferring, but probably the big reason is that she never got much PT.)
They also add Shrita Parker (Hoopgurlz #77) and Ashli Jeune, who's supposedly a package deal with her more highly rated younger sister.
Honestly, though, I don't have much interest in these exercises one day after the season has ended.
|
|
NoDakSt
Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 4929
Back to top |
|
summertime blues
Joined: 16 Apr 2013 Posts: 7860 Location: Shenandoah Valley
Back to top |
Posted: 04/10/14 1:20 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
#24. JMU. Loses Nikki Newman, Kirby Burkholder, Samantha Mitchell
Gains: by transfer Tasia Butler (from Syracuse), Ashley Perez (from St. John's); not sure of incoming freshmen.
_________________ Don't take life so serious. It ain't nohows permanent.
It takes 3 years to build a team and 7 to build a program.--Conventional Wisdom
|
|
Dennis1361
Joined: 12 Nov 2005 Posts: 248
Back to top |
Posted: 04/11/14 12:45 am ::: |
Reply |
|
Cal loses Brandon and that is huge esp. Gray who blows hot and cold. They will struggle to make first division.
Your comment about McDonalds AA does not account for people like Lili Thompson of Stanford who was not even in the Top 100 and she was stellar in the NCAAs shutting down Lucas of Penn St and DeShields of UNC and I believe she outscored all three of the McD AA of UNC
|
|
scfastpitch
Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 616
Back to top |
Posted: 04/11/14 7:18 am ::: |
Reply |
|
I don't think anyone was trying to imply that only McDonald's A-As turn out to be great players . But the number on each roster is certainly interesting info . Those are the schools that have been recruiting at the highest level for the past few years . I appreciate the time it took to research the info .
|
|
Phil
Joined: 22 Oct 2011 Posts: 1275
Back to top |
Posted: 04/11/14 9:52 am ::: |
Reply |
|
scfastpitch wrote: |
I don't think anyone was trying to imply that only McDonald's A-As turn out to be great players . But the number on each roster is certainly interesting info . Those are the schools that have been recruiting at the highest level for the past few years . I appreciate the time it took to research the info . |
I agree, useful and interesting information.
|
|
Shades
Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 63841
Back to top |
|
summertime blues
Joined: 16 Apr 2013 Posts: 7860 Location: Shenandoah Valley
Back to top |
|
myrtle
Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 32340
Back to top |
Posted: 04/11/14 3:41 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
I have a prediction for POY: Even if she misses 20 games, it will be Stewie. They may as well engrave 'em all before the season starts.
And to be clear, I do like Stewie and her game - I just think deifying her is unfair to all the other really good players in the ncaa.
|
|
Dennis1361
Joined: 12 Nov 2005 Posts: 248
Back to top |
Posted: 04/11/14 3:48 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
Myrtke its the media who always looks for an easy story recently it has been Candace parker and Griner. They then "crown " them for the duration Its all about showbiz and lacks respect for the game and or the players
|
|
Howee
Joined: 27 Nov 2009 Posts: 15753 Location: OREGON (in my heart)
Back to top |
|
leelyn
Joined: 11 Aug 2013 Posts: 16
Back to top |
Posted: 04/12/14 10:43 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
I don't know if they can keep them what with Graves leaving but Gonzaga has two great players in Lexi Bando and Jill Bardo both on their states HS championship teams and both POY in those states...also, they've got a corner on the supposedly best player coming out of Europe....
_________________ that's life!
|
|
AAOK423
Joined: 19 Apr 2014 Posts: 1109
Back to top |
Posted: 04/23/14 6:34 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
I may be a daft Louisville fan to think this but im not all that worried. Yeah, I think their going to have a off year but im very impressed by two of their freshmen Heines-Allen and Moore. And with the youth they have some final four experienced players too who I think will shine now that they aren't in the shadow of Shoni (Sara Hammond, Jude Schimmel, and Bria Smith should be able to make an impact). Plus, they will finally be getting some much needed size with Veils coming back after being injured. Also, look out for Emmonnie Henderson, if she can lose some weight and get better at ball handling she could be really good. Id say they will rank top 15 or 10, no higher than 7, no lower than 19.
|
|
ClayK
Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 11171
Back to top |
Posted: 04/24/14 9:42 am ::: |
Reply |
|
AAOK423 wrote: |
I may be a daft Louisville fan to think this but im not all that worried. Yeah, I think their going to have a off year but im very impressed by two of their freshmen Heines-Allen and Moore. And with the youth they have some final four experienced players too who I think will shine now that they aren't in the shadow of Shoni (Sara Hammond, Jude Schimmel, and Bria Smith should be able to make an impact). Plus, they will finally be getting some much needed size with Veils coming back after being injured. Also, look out for Emmonnie Henderson, if she can lose some weight and get better at ball handling she could be really good. Id say they will rank top 15 or 10, no higher than 7, no lower than 19. |
X______________
_________________ OαΉ TΔre TuttΔre Ture SvΔhΔ
|
|
AAOK423
Joined: 19 Apr 2014 Posts: 1109
Back to top |
Posted: 04/24/14 7:01 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
I also don't see ND at 2. I think South Carolina will be at 2 this year and ND at 3.
|
|
Nixtreefan
Joined: 14 Nov 2012 Posts: 2539
Back to top |
Posted: 04/24/14 7:34 pm ::: Not me |
Reply |
|
I have no problem with ND being 2, people had them down last year and look what they did. Until South Carolina can show they belong by making a final four I wouldn't hand them the seed. Some teams have to learn how to finish the season, harder than it sounds, no matter what the talent.
|
|
AAOK423
Joined: 19 Apr 2014 Posts: 1109
Back to top |
|
CBiebel
Joined: 23 Dec 2004 Posts: 1058 Location: PA
Back to top |
|
AAOK423
Joined: 19 Apr 2014 Posts: 1109
Back to top |
Posted: 04/25/14 12:41 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
True. ND still has a lot of talent and defiantly will be in the top five, if not the top two but with the exception of UConn talent seems much more even than it did this year. I don't expect ND to be undefeated again but I do think your right, their ability to be a top team after losing incredible talent year after year is impressive and that could have them second to UConn again this year.
|
|
|
|