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The Tennessee women’s basketball team is ranked No. 5 in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 poll that was released on Tuesday. It’s the best season-opening ranking for the Lady Vols since they were slotted fourth at the beginning of the 2015-16 campaign.

This marks the second time the UT women have appeared in the preseason edition of the AP poll under fourth-year head coach Kellie Harper, who has the Big Orange’s stature quickly rising. The Lady Vols were ranked No. 15 in 2022 after appearing in the receiving votes category in 2020 and 2021. A year ago, the Lady Vols climbed as high as No. 4 during the season before ending the slate at No. 18 after three key players were sidelined by season-ending injuries.

Tennessee returns 10 letterwinners, including four full-time starters, from a squad that opened last year 18-1 and finished 25-9 overall and 11-5 in the SEC (third) with a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16. UT also brings aboard six newcomers, including three heralded senior transfers, a sophomore transfer who was a five-star prep recruit, and a five-star freshman signee.

Three of the squad’s top players have been named to the 2022-23 Preseason Media All-SEC First Team. That list includes returnees in 6-foot-2 senior guard Jordan Horston (16.2 ppg., 9.4 rpg., 4.0 apg.) and 6-6 senior center Tamari Key (10.5 ppg., 8.1 rpg., 3.5 bpg.), as well as 6-2 senior forward Rickea Jackson, a transfer from Mississippi State (20.3 ppg., 6.8 rpg.). All three have been previously named to the SEC’s end-of-the-year all-conference team. Horston was a first-team choice a year ago, while Key was a second-team recipient last season and Jackson was on the second team in 2020.

Additional returning starters include 5-8 graduate point guard Jordan Walker (7.6 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 3.5 apg.) and 6-1 junior guard/forward Tess Darby (5.3 ppg., 2.4 rpg., 49 3FGs). Two others with starting experience include 6-2 sophomore guard/forward Sara Puckett (6.4 ppg., 3.5 rpg., two starts, 2022 SEC All-Freshman) and 6-3 redshirt sophomore guard/forward Marta Suárez (4.1 ppg., 3.6 rpg., 14 starts, 2021 SEC All-Freshman, missed 2021-22 due to injury).

Newcomers besides Jackson who started at their previous schools include 5-6 senior guard Jasmine Powell (12.4 ppg., 5.7 apg., 4.4 rpg., 2021 All-Big Ten Second Team at Minnesota) and Jasmine Franklin (14.9 ppg., 12.1 rpg., 2.4 bpg., two-time All-Missouri Valley Conference, 2022 MVC Def. Player of the Year at Missouri State).

The Lady Vols host Carson-Newman at 2 p.m. on Oct. 30 in an exhibition game before playing their regular-season opener at Ohio State on Nov. 8 (8:30 p.m.) and their home opener vs. UMass at Thompson-Boling Arena on Nov. 10 (6:30 p.m.).

For ticket information for Lady Vol games, fans can go to AllVols.com.