{"id":303081,"date":"2025-10-14T16:39:31","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T16:39:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/303081\/"},"modified":"2025-10-14T16:39:31","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T16:39:31","slug":"unc-womens-basketball-ranked-no-11-in-2025-26-preseason-poll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/303081\/","title":{"rendered":"UNC Women’s Basketball Ranked No. 11 in 2025-26 Preseason Poll"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Carolina is ranked No. 11 in the AP\u2019s preseason Top 25 poll. It\u2019s the highest preseason ranking for the program since 2009, when the Tar Heels were ranked No. 4.<\/p>\n

UNC returns two starters \u2013 guard Reniya Kelly and wing Indya Nivar \u2013 from last year\u2019s team which won 29 games (the most in a single season in head coach Courtney Banghart\u2019s tenure), reached the ACC Tournament semifinals and the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Carolina was ranked throughout the entirety of the season and rose as high as No. 8 in the AP Poll. The 2025-26 season will be Banghart\u2019s seventh in Chapel Hill.<\/p>\n

In addition to Kelly and Nivar, reserves Ciera Toomey, Laila Hull, Lanie Grant, Blanca Thomas, Jordan Zubich and Sydney Barker all return for the Tar Heels. In the transfer portal, UNC added the services of UCLA guard Elina Aarnisalo and Louisville forward Nyla Harris. That group is joined by a trio of incoming freshmen: McDonald\u2019s All-American and Virginia Player of the Year Nyla Brooks, five-star wing Taliyah Henderson and Brazilian national Taissa Queiroz. UNC also signed Russian national Liza Astakhova, who will have four years of eligibility in Chapel Hill.<\/p>\n

No. 7 Duke, No. 9 NC State, No. 15 Notre Dame and No. 20 Louisville also represent the ACC in the poll. Defending champions UConn are No. 1, while perennial powerhouse South Carolina checks in at No. 2. UNC will face the Gamecocks in an exhibition game in Atlanta<\/a> on October 30, will face No. 3 UCLA in Las Vegas<\/a> and will visit No. 4 Texas in Austin<\/a> as part of the ACC-SEC Challenge. For a full look at the AP Poll, click here.<\/a><\/p>\n

You can view UNC\u2019s full 2025-26 schedule here.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Featured image via Associated Press\/Chris Seward<\/p>\n

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<\/a>UNC Women’s Basketball to Compete in WBCA Challenge in Las Vegas<\/p>\n

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