UCLA women ranked 20th in preseason Associated Press poll
UCLA’s streak of 37 consecutive weeks in the top 11 ended Tuesday as the Bruins landed at No. 20 in the Associated Press preseason poll. The conservative ranking likely comes from UCLA’s new-look roster that has eight new players, including four Division I transfers.
In addition to returning All-Pac-12 guard Charisma Osborne, the Bruins brought in guards Gina Conti (Wake Forest) and Jaelynn Penn (Indiana) and forwards IImar’I Thomas (Cincinnati) and Angela Dugalić (Oregon). Guards Kayla Owens and Kiara Jefferson return to the team after opting out of the pandemic-affected season. Forward Brynn Masikewich is also back after recovering from a knee injury last season.
Izzy Anstey is UCLA’s only player making her college debut this season after the 6-foot-4 forward from Australia couldn’t travel to the United States last year because of coronavirus-related immigration rules. The Bruins are already relying on Anstey, who will be counted on to help replace sophomore forward Emily Bessior, who will miss the season because of a knee injury suffered during the preseason.
UCLA must also replace star forward Michaela Onyenwere, who was drafted sixth overall by the New York Liberty and won the league's rookie of the year award.
Pac-12 coaches picked the Bruins to finish third in the conference preseason poll. Five Pac-12 teams appeared in the AP poll, led by defending national champion Stanford at No. 3, followed by No. 10 Oregon, No. 14 Oregon State and No. 22 Arizona.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
