Press release via WVU Athletics
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Oct. 15, 2024) – The West Virginia University women’s basketball team comes in at No. 16 in the AP Top 25 Preseason Women’s Basketball Poll, released on Tuesday.
The ranking marks the first time the Mountaineers have opened a season inside the AP top 25 since the 2017-18 season when WVU opened play at No. 13. It marks just the sixth time in program history that West Virginia has been named in the preseason poll and is the third highest ranking to open a season.
WVU earned 277 points in the poll. A total of four Big 12 teams appeared in the rankings, including No. 8 Iowa State (521), No. 12 Baylor (422) and No. 13 Kansas State (390). In addition, TCU was listed as receiving votes.
Senior guard JJ Quinerly was named a unanimous Preseason All-Big 12 Team selection. Last season, Quinerly collected multiple nominations for national honors as well as being named to the All-Big 12 Conference First Team and Defensive Team and the Defensive Player of the Year in the Big 12.
West Virginia posted a 25-8 overall record in 2023-24, including a 12-6 mark in conference play. WVU advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, falling to national runner-up Iowa to cap the season.
The Mountaineers open the regular season on Tuesday, Nov. 5, hosting Towson in a 7 p.m. tip at the WVU Coliseum.