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Utah women’s hoops receives highest-ever Pac-12 preseason ranking

Utah, which also saw its first-ever first-place vote, opens its regular season on Nov. 7 vs. Idaho at the Huntsman Center .

Fresh off the program’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2011, the University of Utah women’s basketball was voted fifth in both Pac-12 preseason polls by the leagues’ coaches and 28 media members.

In the coaches poll, where 2022 national semifinalist Stanford was the unanimous pick to win the Pac-12 with 11 first-place votes, the Utes received the lone remaining first-place vote. Schools were not allowed to vote for themselves No. 1 in the coaches poll.

The Cardinal was also the unanimous pick in the media poll, garnering all 28 first-place votes.

Utah being slotted at No. 5 in both polls marks its highest preseason ranking since joining the Pac-12 ahead of the 2011-12 academic year. This also marks the first time the Utes have received a first-place vote in the preseason poll.

The two preseason polls were nearly identical, with the exception of Oregon and Arizona voted as Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, in the coaches poll, then being flip-flopped in the media poll. No. 4 UCLA rounded out the top-5 in both polls.

Headlined by a trio of preseason All-Pac-12 selections in Gianna Kneepkens, Jenna Johnson and Kennady McQueen, Utah, a Pac-12 Tournament finalist a year ago before advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, will open its regular season Nov. 7 vs. Idaho at the Huntsman Center at 5:30 p.m.

The Utes will first host a pair of exhibitions, Thursday morning vs. Division II Northwest Nazarene at 11 a.m., and Tuesday night vs. Division II Westminster at 7 p.m.