Stanford Women's Basketball Not Ranked in AP Top 25 for 1st Time Since 2001

The Stanford Cardinal learned Monday that they are unranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since 2001. 

According to the AP's Doug Feinberg, the Cardinal had been ranked in some capacity for 312 straight weeks prior to their plummet. 

Stanford has played arguably the toughest schedule in the nation to date. 

The Cardinal opened their season with back-to-back losses against No. 12 Ohio State and No. 1 UConn, and they've lost four of their last six games—including an 83-71 defeat at the hands of No. 7 Tennessee on Thursday. 

"Tennessee wasn't in the Final Four last year. Baylor wasn't; Ohio State wasn't, but those are the teams you have to play to get there," head coach Tara VanDerveer said, per Feinberg. "We need our tough schedule to pay off for us.

"But it only pays off if we build on it. Don’t get frustrated. Get mad, and go to work. We are looking up at people right now. We need people to look up at where we need to be and embrace that challenge."

The Cardinal, who were three poll points short of the No. 25 position, will return to the floor Friday against No. 11 UCLA.