RUSTON - Louisiana Tech received 165 total points to rank No. 22 in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division I Top 25 Preseason Coaches Poll released Wednesday.
The Lady Techsters, which finished 29-3 and ranked No. 12 in the country last year, must find a way to replace three seniors, including two who played in the WNBA this past summer.
Head coach Kurt Budke's team must also find a way to succeed during the non-conference portion of the schedule without the services of All-America candidate Erica Taylor, who is expecting in early December.
With the loss of seniors Trina Frierson, Amisha Carter and Amber Obaze and the temporary loss of Taylor, Tech will start the season Nov. 24 at Mississippi without its four double digit scorers from one year ago.
Tennessee, LSU, Texas, Connecticut and Georgia were ranked No. 1 through 5 in the poll.
1. Tennessee (15) 944
2. LSU (10) 934
3. Texas (9) 908
4. Connecticut (6) 883
5. Georgia 782
6. Duke 747
7. Stanford 724
8. Baylor 688
9. Ohio State 555
9. Texas Tech 555
11. Notre Dame 483
12. North Carolina 472
13. Vanderbilt 468
14. Minnesota 425
15. Purdue 420
16. Michigan State 397
17. Rutgers 324
18. Boston College 259
18. Kansas State 259
20. DePaul 232
21. Penn State 226
22. Louisiana Tech 165
23. Maryland 153
24. Arizona 147
25. Oklahoma 139