ABILENE – USA Today Sports released the second women's basketball coaches' poll of the 2019-20 season on Tuesday, and the 3-0 Wildcats are receiving a pair of votes in the Top 25. ACU was receiving a vote in the first poll released on Oct. 31, and gained another vote of confidence from coaches around the country.
The poll comes after ACU went on the road for the first time this season and took apart the Raiders of Wright State, who was ranked No. 16 in the mid-major poll coming in. The Wildcats never trailed in an 83-64 victory over the defending Horizon League Tournament Champions. It's a signature win early in the season for ACU, who looks for a trip to the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season.
Joining ACU in the receiving votes category are programs like Notre Dame, Texas, Tennessee, and Oklahoma State.
The USA Today Sports women's basketball coaches poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of head coaches at Division I schools. The panel is chosen by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. The members represent each of the 32 Division I conferences that receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Each coach submits a Top 25 with a first-place vote worth 25 points, second place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th.
ACU returns to Moody Coliseum tonight to battle the Lady Jackets of Howard Payne University from Brownwood, Texas. Tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN3 and heard on 98.1 The Ticket.
The USA Today Sports Board of Coaches is made up of 32 head coaches at Division I institutions. All are members of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. The board for the 2019-20 season: Suzy Barcomb, Seattle; Bart Brooks, Belmont; Dan Burt, Duquesne; Jackie Carson; Furman; Billi Chambers, Iona; Bill Cleary, Colgate; Shane Clipfell, Western Michigan; Bradley Davis, Pacific; Bill Fennelly, Iowa State; Jose Fernandez, South Florida; Ronny Fisher, Campbell; Terry Fowler, South Alabama; Freda Freeman-Jackson, Alabama State; Brenda Frese, Maryland;
Julie Goodenough; Abilene Christian; Tamara Inoue, UC Irvine; Belle Koclanes, Dartmouth; Mike Lane, NJIT; Maria Marchesano, Mount St. Mary's; Katie Meier, Miami (Fla.); Jalie Mitchell, North Texas; Jon Newlee, Idaho; Harry Perretta, Villanova; Kyle Rechlicz; Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Diane Richardson, Towson; Lynne Roberts, Utah; Tarrell Robinson, North Carolina A&T; Matt Ruffing, Evansville; Joni Taylor, Georgia; Jim Turgeon, Denver; Amy Vachon, Maine; Ryun Williams, Colorado State.
NOTE: One cannot vote for his/her own team.
