Womhoops Guru

Mel Greenberg covered college and professional women’s basketball for the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he worked for 40 plus years. Greenberg pioneered national coverage of the game, including the original Top 25 women's college poll. His knowledge has earned him nicknames such as "The Guru" and "The Godfather," as well as induction into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.

Monday, November 23, 2015

Guru's AP Women's Poll History: Some Updated Notes Thru Monday's Release


By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru



Here are the best current streaks of significant numbers by teams in the AP Women’s Poll thru the vote of 11/23/15 .


1. Tennessee 537 weeks. Began Feb. 17, 1985 after 10-wk drought and runs across 30 seasons.

2. Connecticut 415 weeks. Began Preseason 93/94 and runs across 222 seasons

3. Duke 344 weeks. Began Preseason 97/98 and runs across 18 seasons.

4. Stanford 261 weeks. Began 01/02 and runs across 14 seasons.

5. Baylor 225 weeks. Began week 9 Jan. 5, 2004 and runs across 12 seasons.

6. Notre Dame 158 weeks. Began Preseason 07/08 and runs across 8 seasons.

7. Texas A&M 118 weeks. Began 11/16/09 2nd week and runs across 6 seasons.

8. Maryland 100 weeks. Began preseason 10/11 and runs across 5 seasons.

Huskies/Lady Vols Domination

Connecticut, which was set to host Kansas State in Hartford Monday night (we will be on the scene), made its 400th Top 10 appearance this week, and its 111 appearances in the top 10 for the decade is a perfect market as is the Huskies 111 Top 5 appearances.

UConn has also moved ahead of Louisiana Tech for all time poll appearances at 448, which is 5th behind Tennessee 680. Georgia 522. Texas 484. and Stanford, 479.

Connecticut has made 187 appearances as No. 1. Tennessee is second at 112. The fastest the Lady Vols could catch UConn at this moment is to become No. 1 and stay there just short of four seasons, using about a 19-week polling term as a guestimate. Louisiana Tech is third at 83 and Texas at 47 is fourth. It would take the Longhorns over seven straight seasons to catch the Huskies for overall No. 1.
Tennessee as a program has missed just 14 poll appearances as we reach overall week 694 in the 40th anniversary season. The Vols have made 680 appearances overall.

Notre Dame made its 100th Top 10 appearance in the decade.

Oklahoma's Sherri Coale and Duke's Joanne P. McCallie have moved into a three-way tie for 22nd with former Maryland coach Chris Weller on the all-time appearance list at 227, just ahead of Theresa Grentz (225) who has bumped some people back on the active list with her return to the sidelines coaching at Lafayette College.

Arizona State's Charlie Turner Thorne made her 100th poll appearance.

Of the top 28 on the all-time coaching appearance list only former Penn State coach Rene Portland (9th), Seattle coach Joan Bonvicni (18th), Maryland's Brenda Frese (26th) and former Western Kentucky and Nebraska coach Paul Sanderford (28th) are not members of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tenn.

 -- Mel



Baylor has tied Rutgers for overall Top 10 appearances with 190 for 10th in the all time list.






posted by Mel Greenberg | 4:56 PM