NC State Women’s Basketball Begins Season at No. 9 in AP Top 25
10/14/2025 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
RALEIGH – NC State women's basketball has checked in at No. 9 in the Associated Press Top 25, as revealed on Tuesday. This marks the fifth time in the last six seasons the team has been picked inside the top 10 in the first AP poll of the season.
During the 2024-25 season, NC State was ranked in every poll except week five, when the Pack received the most votes among unranked teams that week. NC State finished the season at No. 9 in the AP Poll, its sixth top 10 finish in the Wes Moore era. In the past seven years, only UConn has more top 10 finishes than the Pack. NC State's best ranking last season was at No. 7 ahead of the ACC Tournament.
The Pack is set to play eight top 25 opponents, including four in the non-conference and four in ACC play. NC State will open against No. 8 Tennessee at the Ro Greensboro Invitational on Nov. 4 at 4 p.m. at First Horizon Coliseum and turn around to play No. 18 USC at the Ally Tipoff on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 3 p.m.
NC State won its seventh ACC Regular Season Championship in program history in 2024-25. The Pack registered a 28-7 overall record and 16-2 record in ACC play to share the regular season championship with Notre Dame. NC State made its sixth NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in the past seven tournaments and racked up six top 25 finishes, including over No. 1 Notre Dame, No. 10 Duke and No. 14 North Carolina. Head coach Wes Moore was also tabbed the 2025 ACC Coach of the Year.
The Pack returns two starters in All-ACC First Team choice and the ACC Most Improved Player Zoe Brooks and ACC All-Freshman Team choice Tilda Trygger, as well as seven returners. NC State welcomes four new players, including two freshmen and two transfers. Destiny "Ky'She" Lunan (No. 65 in ESPN recruiting rankings) and Adelaide Jernigan (No. 68) make up another top 25 recruiting class. Qadence Samuels (national champion at UConn) and Khamil Pierre (WBCA All-America Honorable Mention selection at Vanderbilt) are key transfers who will make an immediate impact.
NC State is set for its first exhibition game against High Point on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. at Reynolds Coliseum. Admission is free to the public.
AP Preseason Top 25 (First-place votes)
1. UConn (27)
2. South Carolina (4)
3. UCLA
4. Texas
5. LSU
6. Oklahoma #
7. Duke #
8. Tennessee #
9. NC State
10. Maryland (exhibition opponent)
11. North Carolina #
12. Ole Miss
13. Michigan
14. Iowa State
15. Notre Dame #
16. Baylor
17. TCU #
18. USC #
19. Vanderbilt
20. Louisville #
21. Iowa
22. Oklahoma State
23. Michigan State
T-24. Kentucky
T24. Richmond
Receiving Votes: Washington (79), Ohio State (46), West Virginia (17), Princeton (17), Minnesota (15), Kanasas State (15), Kanasas (7), Stanford (3) #, South Dakota State (3), Illinois (2), Nebraska (2), Columbia (2)
# - 2025-26 opponent for NC State
