Nov. 4, 2009

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women's basketball team will begin the 2009-10 season ranked No. 10 in both national polls, after the announcement of the USA Today/ESPN Division I Top 25 Coaches' Poll today. MSU will face five of the top-25 teams in this poll this season, including No. 3 Ohio State, No. 5 North Carolina, No. 7 Notre Dame, No. 15 Xavier and No. 23 Purdue.

This marks the highest preseason USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll ranking in program history, having been 11th prior to the 2005-06 season. It is the fifth time in the last six years, that the Spartans enter the season ranked in both national polls.

Michigan State returns 12 letterwinners, including nine who started at least one game, from last year's team that finished 22-11 overall and advanced to its third NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. Also, the Spartans tied for second in the Big Ten with a 13-5 mark. In all, MSU returns 93.3% of its points, 95.0% of its rebounds, 89.3% of its assists, 97.9% of its blocks and 91.1% of its steals.

The Spartans' exhibition season begins on Thursday, Nov. 5 against Wayne State at the Breslin Center.

USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Preseason Poll
1. Connecticut (31)
2. Stanford
3. Ohio State
4. Baylor
5. North Carolina
6. Duke
7. Notre Dame
8. Oklahoma
9. Tennessee
10. Michigan State
11. Arizona State
12. Florida State
13. California
14. Texas
15. Xavier
16. Texas A&M
17. LSU
18. Virginia
19. Louisville
20. Vanderbilt
21. Maryland
22. Pittsburgh
23. Purdue
24. Iowa State
25. DePaul