Gators Ranked No. 24 in USA TODAY Coaches Poll

The Gators begin their season on Nov. 11 against South Alabama in Jacksonville.

Gators Ranked No. 24 in USA TODAY Coaches Poll

Thursday, October 27, 2016 | Women's Basketball

Florida will begin season as a ranked team for seventh time in program history.

By: Kathy Cafazzo

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Coming off a 22-win season and a 2016 NCAA Tournament berth, Florida earned recognition throughout the 2015-16 season and that respect continues into 2016-17, as the Gators were voted No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches Preseason Poll released Thursday.

While Florida has received votes in national preseason polls multiple times in the program's history, this is just the seventh time in the Top 25 at the beginning of the year since the 2001-02 season, when the team opened at No 12 in the USA Today ranking and No. 13 in the Associated Press poll.

Gators All-Time in the Preseason Top-25 National Rankings

1994-95: No. 14 in AP; No. 14 in USA Today
1995-96: No. 23 in USA Today
1996-97: No. 21 in AP; No. 21 in USA Today
1997-98: No. 9 in AP; No. 8 in USA Today
1998-99: No. 22 in AP; No. 20 in USA Today
2001-02: No. 13 in AP; No. 12 in USA Today
2016-17: No. 24 in USA Today (AP released Nov. 4)

Southeastern Conference with Six Teams in the Preseason Poll

No. 3 South Carolina
No. 11 Mississippi State
No. 14 Tennessee
No. 19 Kentucky
No. 23 Texas A&M
No. 24 FLORIDA

UF Opponents in the Top-25

Florida will play eight games against teams ranked in the Top 25.
In tournaments, the Gators could face one additional team (No. 16 Arizona State)
UF will face six other teams that are receiving votes in the Top 25
All totaled, the Gators will play 14 games versus teams receiving votes in the preseason poll

When Do They Start

The Gators play South Alabama in their season opener on Nov. 11 at Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville
Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. ET and is the first game of a Gator Basketball doubleheader, with the UF men's team tipping off at 7:30 p.m.
Florida will play its first 12 games on the road due to a $64.5 million renovation of the Exactech Arena at the O'Connell Center, which is slated to be completed in mid-December.
The Gator's home opener is set for Dec. 28 against Southeastern Louisiana.

2016-17 USA Today Coaches Poll - Preseason
RK	TEAM	RECORD	PTS
1	Connecticut (18)	0-0	755
2	Notre Dame (8)	0-0	739
3	South Carolina (3)	0-0	712
4	Baylor (2)	0-0	709
5	Maryland	0-0	603
6	Ohio State	0-0	594
6	Texas (1)	0-0	594
8	Louisville	0-0	586
9	UCLA	0-0	481
10	Stanford	0-0	467
11	Mississippi State	0-0	446
12	Florida State	0-0	431
13	Syracuse	0-0	394
14	Tennessee	0-0	360
15	Washington	0-0	352
16	Arizona State	0-0	321
17	Oregon State	0-0	255
18	Oklahoma	0-0	235
19	Kentucky	0-0	227
20	Miami	0-0	179
21	DePaul	0-0	173
22	Michigan State	0-0	167
23	Texas A&M	0-0	123
24	Florida	0-0	101
25	West Virginia	0-0	76

Others receiving votes: South Florida 65, Indiana 51, South Dakota State 38, Missouri 17, Colorado State 17, Duke 16, Auburn 14, Western Kentucky 10, Michigan 10, Creighton 10, St John's 9, Green Bay 7, Oklahoma State 7, Northwestern 7, Penn 6, NC State 5, Georgia 5, California 4, Temple 4, BYU 3, Iowa 3, Oregon 2, Duquesne 2, Gonzaga 2, George Washington 2, Georgia Tech 1, Drake 1, Troy 1, Tulane 1