| 1981–82 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | |||||
| Season | 1981–82 | ||||
| NCAA Tournament | 1982 | ||||
| Preseason No. 1 | |||||
| NCAA Tournament Champions | Louisiana Tech | ||||
| |||||
A single human poll represents the 1981–82 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play.
While there was only one major poll this season, championships were conducted under the auspices of both the AIAW and the NCAA. The AIAW champion was Rutgers, while the NCAA champion was Louisiana Tech.
| – | Not ranked | |
| (#) | Ranking |
Source [1]
| Team | 18-Nov | 29-Nov | 6-Dec | 13-Dec | 20-Dec | 27-Dec | 3-Jan | 10-Jan | 17-Jan | 24-Jan | 31-Jan | 7-Feb | 14-Feb | 21-Feb | 28-Feb | 7-Mar | 14-Mar | 27-Mar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana Tech | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Cheyney State | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Maryland | 11 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 3 |
| Tennessee | 2 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 19 | 20 | – | – | – | – | 20 | 13 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Texas | 17 | 18 | T20 | – | – | – | – | 12 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Southern California | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
| Old Dominion | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| Rutgers | 10 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 8 |
| Long Beach St. | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 9 |
| Penn St. | 20 | 20 | T20 | – | 19 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 10 |
| Villanova | – | – | – | – | T20 | – | 19 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 11 |
| North Carolina St. | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 12 |
| Kentucky | 13 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
| Kansas St. | – | – | – | – | – | 20 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 19 | 20 | 18 | 14 |
| South Carolina | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 19 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 15 |
| Drake | 19 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 19 | 19 | 16 |
| Memphis | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 19 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 |
| Arizona St. | – | – | – | 20 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 |
| Oregon | 14 | 13 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 16 | 19 |
| Missouri | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 20 | 20 |
| Auburn | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | T20 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 20 | 19 | – | – | – | – |
| Clemson | 16 | 17 | 17 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Colorado | – | – | – | 18 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 16 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Detroit | – | – | 19 | 19 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Georgia | 12 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | – | – |
| Illinois | – | 19 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 15 | – | – | – | 20 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Kansas | 15 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 18 | 20 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ohio St. | – | – | – | – | T20 | – | – | – | T20 | 19 | – | – | – | – | 20 | – | – | – |
| Ole Miss | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 19 | 18 | 18 | 20 | – | – | – | – |
| Stephen F. Austin | 18 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 18 | 20 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| UCLA | 8 | 8 | 12 | 17 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
The Associated Press poll provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the nation. Each voter provides their own ranking of the top 25 teams, and the individual rankings are then combined to produce the national ranking by giving a team 25 points for a first place vote, 24 for a second place vote, and so on down to 1 point for a twenty-fifth place vote. Ballots of the voting members in the AP poll are publicized.
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Two human polls comprise the 2005–06 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters, while the USA Today Coaches' Poll is a poll of college coaches. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play, while the Coaches poll conducts a final, post-NCAA tournament poll as well.
Two human polls comprise the 2004–05 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters, while the USA Today Coaches' Poll is a poll of college coaches. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play, while the Coaches poll conducts a final, post-NCAA tournament poll as well.
Two human polls comprise the 2003–04 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters, while the USA Today Coaches' Poll is a poll of college coaches. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play, while the Coaches poll conducts a final, post-NCAA tournament poll as well.
Two human polls comprise the 2002–03 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters, while the USA Today Coaches' Poll is a poll of college coaches. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play, while the Coaches poll conducts a final, post-NCAA tournament poll as well.
Two human polls comprise the 2001–02 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters, while the USA Today Coaches' Poll is a poll of college coaches. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play, while the Coaches poll conducts a final, post-NCAA tournament poll as well.
Two human polls comprise the 1999–00 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters, while the USA Today Coaches' Poll is a poll of college coaches. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play, while the Coaches poll conducts a final, post-NCAA tournament poll as well.
Two human polls comprise the 1994–95 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters, while the USA Today Coaches' Poll is a poll of college coaches. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play, while the Coaches poll conducts a final, post-NCAA tournament poll as well.
Two human polls comprise the 1993–94 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters, while the USA Today Coaches' Poll is a poll of college coaches. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play, while the Coaches poll conducts a final, post-NCAA tournament poll as well.
Two human polls comprise the 1992–93 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters, while the USA Today Coaches' Poll is a poll of college coaches. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play, while the Coaches poll conducts a final, post-NCAA tournament poll.
Two human polls comprise the 1989–90 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters, while the USA Today Coaches' Poll is a poll of college coaches. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play, while the Coaches poll conducts a final, post-NCAA tournament poll as well. The poll produced a list of the top 20 teams from the inception through the 1988–89 season. In 1989–90, the change was made to produce a list of the top 25 teams.
Two human polls comprise the 1988–89 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters, while the USA Today Coaches' Poll is a poll of college coaches. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play, while the Coaches poll conducts a final, post-NCAA tournament poll as well. The poll produced a list of the top 20 teams from the inception through the 1988–89 season. In 1989–90, the change was made to produce a list of the top 25 teams.
Two human polls comprise the 1986–87 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters, while the USA Today Coaches' Poll is a poll of college coaches. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play, while the Coaches poll conducts a final, post-NCAA tournament poll as well.
Two human polls comprise the 1985–86 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters, while the USA Today Coaches' Poll is a poll of college coaches. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play, while the Coaches poll conducts a final, post-NCAA tournament poll as well.

A single human poll represents the 1980–81 AIAW Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll was initially a poll of coaches conducted via telephone, where coaches identified top teams and a list of the Top 20 team was produced. The contributors continued to be coaches until 1994, when the AP took over administration of the poll from Mel Greenberg, and switched to a panel of writers. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play.

A single human poll represents the 1979–80 AIAW Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls.

A single human poll represents the 1978–79 AIAW Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls.

A single human poll represents the 1977–78 AIAW Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll was initially a poll of coaches conducted via telephone, where coaches identified top teams and a list of the Top 20 teams was produced. The contributors continued to be coaches until 1994, when the AP took over administration of the poll from Mel Greenberg, and switched to a panel of writers.

A single human poll represents the 1976–77 AIAW Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The women's basketball poll began during the 1976–1977 season, and was initially compiled by Mel Greenberg and published by The Philadelphia Inquirer. At first, it was a poll of coaches conducted via telephone, where coaches identified top teams and a list of the Top 20 team was produced. The initial list of coaches did not include Pat Summitt, who asked to join the group, not to improve her rankings, but because of the lack of media coverage, Summitt believed it would be a good way to stay on top of who the top teams were outside of her own schedule. The contributors continued to be coaches until 1994, when the AP took over administration of the poll from Greenberg, and switched to a panel of writers.