Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus UCF on January 31, 2026 , Win , 65, to, 52
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Women's Basketball
65
UCF
52
Iowa State University Athletics
Cyclones Picked Fifth in Big 12 Poll
10.17.2006 | Women's Basketball
AMES, Iowa -- The Iowa State women's basketball team was picked fifth by the Big 12 coaches in the annual preseason poll, the league office announced Tuesday.
Oklahoma was the preseason favorite to win the conference, claiming 11 of the possible 12 first-place votes and receiving 121 overall points. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams. Texas A&M was chosen second (107), followed by Texas (101), Baylor (94) and Iowa State (68). Following the Cyclones were Nebraska (66), Kansas State (57), Texas Tech (57), Missouri (43), Kansas (36), Colorado (26) and Oklahoma State (16).
The fifth-place pick is the highest preseason selection for the Cyclones since being chosen third in 2001-02. Iowa State was the top pick in the 1999-00 and 2000-01 seasons. In 1999-00, ISU proved the voters correct, finishing in a three-way tie for the regular season title with Texas Tech and Oklahoma. In 2000-01, the Cyclones finished third in the league standings, but won their second straight Big 12 Tournament crown.
"I do not think it was a surprise that Oklahoma was the unanimous pick of the coaches," ISU head coach Bill Fennelly said. "They have a great team that has a chance to challenge for a national title. After that the league appears to very balanced. There are a number of teams that have a chance to be an upper division team in the Big 12. We certainly want to be among them, knowing that a high finish in our league will put you in a great spot for the NCAA tournament."
Iowa State returns four of its five starters from a season ago, when the Cyclones went 18-13 and made their ninth postseason appearance in the last 10 years, with a WNIT berth. ISU finished tied for eighth in the Big 12 in 2005-06, but returns eight letterwinners this year, including preseason All-Big 12 pick Lyndsey Medders.
The Cyclones have been picked 23rd, nationally, in two preseason publications, Street & Smith's College Basketball Yearbook and SportsPageMagazine.com. Medders was honored as a preseason honorable mention All-American in both publications.
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