AP Women's College Basketball Poll 2019: Complete Preseason Rankings Released

Coming off their trip to the 2019 Final Four, the Oregon Ducks open the 2019-20 season as the top-ranked team in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.

It's the first time in program history the Ducks climbed to No. 1 in the AP poll.

"I think it validates our vision that we had going in here," head coach Kelly Graves said of the honor, per the AP's Doug Feinberg. "It validates the hard work from my staff that's been with me the whole journey. On this stage we had a better opportunity to be in position we now are."

Here's the full ranking, per NCAA.com:

2019-20 AP Top 25 Poll

1. Oregon

2. Baylor

3. Stanford

4. Maryland

5. UConn

6. Texas A&M

7. Oregon State

8. South Carolina

9. Louisville

10. Mississippi State

11. UCLA

12. Florida State

13. Kentucky

14. NC State

15. Texas

16. Notre Dame

17. Michigan State

T18. DePaul

T18. Miami

20. Arizona State

21. Syracuse

22. Arkansas

23. Minnesota

24. Indiana

25. Michigan

Oregon returns four of its five starters from last season's squad, including Sabrina Ionescu, winner of the 2019 John R. Wooden Award and Wade Trophy. Ionescu averaged 19.9 points, 8.2 assists and 7.4 rebounds and is already the NCAA's all-time leader in triple-doubles.

With Ionescu approaching her senior year, anything less than a national championship will be a disappointment for the Ducks.

After winning four straight titles between 2013 and 2016, Connecticut has lost in the national semifinals in three straight seasons. The Huskies sit fifth in the preseason poll, with the Hartford Courant's Alexa Philippou noting they hadn't been lower than fourth since 2006-07.

The Huskies generally face little competition in the AAC, so they loaded their nonconference schedule with a number of marquee matches. They host Oregon on Feb. 3, while No. 2 Baylor, No. 8 South Carolina, No. 16 Notre Dame and No. 18 DePaul are on the slate as well.

Tennessee has been a mainstay in the preseason poll for decades, but the Lady Vols were among the teams on the outside and only receiving votes. Feinberg noted it's the first time since 1976 the AP didn't rank Tennessee in the Top 25.

Holly Warlick had the almost impossible job of succeeding Pat Summitt. The Lady Vols made three Elite Eight appearances in Warlick's first four seasons, but the need for a change was clear after they exited in the first round of the 2019 tournament.

Kellie Harper, who guided Missouri State to the Sweet 16 last year, is tasked with taking Tennessee back to the top of women's basketball.