Helena Frye
In American college basketball, the Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams. The poll is compiled by 62 sportswriters and broadcasters, who each provide their own ranking of the top 25 teams. The individual rankings are then combined to produce a national ranking, with a team receiving 25 points for a first-place vote, 24 for a second-place vote, and so on. The AP Poll is used as a tool to compare schools and spark debate, and it has no bearing on postseason play. The poll has been issued continuously since the 1950–1951 season, initially ranking the top 20 teams and expanding to 25 teams starting with the 1989-1990 season.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of AP Poll voters | 62 |
| Who are the voters? | Sportswriters and broadcasters |
| What do they do? | Provide weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams |
| When is the poll released? | Every Monday |
| Who are the top 5 programs? | 1. Kentucky, 2. North Carolina, 3. Duke, 4. Kansas, 5. UCLA |
| How many teams were initially ranked in the women's basketball poll in 1976-1977? | Top 20 |
| How many teams are currently ranked? | Top 25 |
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What You'll Learn
AP Poll voters and their publicized ballots
In American college sports, the Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams across three Division I sports: football, men's basketball, and women's basketball. The AP Poll is compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the nation. Each voter ranks their top 25 teams, and these individual rankings are then combined to produce the national ranking, with a team receiving 25 points for a first-place vote, 24 for a second-place vote, and so on, down to 1 point for a twenty-fifth-place vote.
The ballots of the voting members in the AP poll are publicized. This transparency sets the AP Poll apart from other polls, such as the Coaches Poll, where votes are kept confidential. The public nature of the AP Poll ballots has occasionally drawn controversy, with voters becoming targets for fans' ire when vote changes occur. Despite this, the AP Poll remains a valuable tool for comparing schools, particularly in Division I men's and women's college basketball, where it sparks debate during the season, even though it does not impact postseason play.
The AP Poll has a long history in college basketball, with the ranking of the top men's basketball teams commencing during the 1948-1949 season. The initial polls ranked the top 20 teams, and this continued until the 1989-1990 season when it expanded to the current top 25 format. The women's basketball poll began during the 1976-1977 season and was first compiled by Mel Greenberg and published by The Philadelphia Inquirer. It was originally a poll of coaches conducted via telephone, but the administration of the poll was taken over by the AP in 1994, switching to a panel of writers.
Kentucky has the highest percentage of appearances in the AP Poll top 25, top 10, and top 5, as well as preseason and end-of-season appearances. They have featured in over 75% of the AP polls since the 1948-1949 season.
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History of the AP Poll
The AP Poll, or the Associated Press poll, has a long history in American college sports, including basketball. The AP Poll provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in Division I sports, including men's and women's basketball. The history of the AP Poll in basketball goes back to the 1948-1949 season, when the AP began compiling rankings of the top 20 men's college basketball teams. This initial poll was expanded to include 25 teams starting with the 1989-1990 season and has been continuously issued since.
The women's basketball AP Poll began later, during the 1976-1977 season. It was first compiled by Mel Greenberg and published by The Philadelphia Inquirer. This early poll was a top 20 ranking conducted via telephone among coaches who identified the top teams. The list of coaches did not initially include Pat Summitt, who joined the group not to improve her rankings but due to the lack of media coverage, as she believed it would help her stay informed about the top teams outside her schedule.
The AP took over administration of the women's basketball poll from Greenberg in 1994 and switched to a panel of writers for rankings. This change was made after some controversy, as the votes of the coaches in the Coaches Poll were kept confidential, while the AP Poll voters' changes were automatically publicized. This led to frustration among AP Poll voters, who became the target of angry fans.
Today, the AP Poll in basketball is conducted by polling 62 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the nation. Each voter ranks their top 25 teams, and these individual rankings are combined to produce the national ranking, with points assigned for each ranking. While the AP Poll is just a tool for comparison in college basketball and has no bearing on postseason play, it is still an important part of the basketball landscape, sparking debate and providing a benchmark for teams' performance.
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How AP Poll rankings are compiled
In American college sports, the Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams across three Division I sports: football, men's basketball, and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the nation. Each voter ranks their top 25 teams, and the individual rankings are then combined to produce the national ranking. A first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote is worth 24, and so on, down to 1 point for a twenty-fifth-place vote. The football poll is typically released on Sundays at 2 pm Eastern time during the season, while the basketball poll is usually released every Monday. The ballots of voting members are publicized.
The AP college football poll dates back to the 1930s, when news media outlets began conducting their own polls of sportswriters to determine the best college football teams by popular opinion. The AP Poll expanded to include men's basketball during the 1948-1949 season, initially ranking the top 20 teams. The poll expanded to 25 teams starting with the 1989-1990 season and has been issued continuously since. The women's basketball poll began during the 1976-1977 season and was originally a top 20 poll of coaches conducted via telephone. The AP took over administration of the women's poll in 1994 and switched to a panel of writers.
While the AP Poll is widely recognized and influential, it is important to note that it does not directly impact postseason play in college basketball. Instead, it serves as a tool for comparison and debate during the regular season. Generally, however, all top 25 teams in the AP Poll are invited to the NCAA basketball tournament, often referred to as March Madness.
The AP Poll has been a subject of controversy, with its voters sometimes facing backlash from passionate fans. For example, in the case of Cal versus Texas, the AP Poll voters' changes were publicized, while the Coaches Poll votes were kept confidential, making the AP Poll voters the target of fans' ire. Despite such controversies, the AP Poll remains a significant aspect of college sports culture, providing a weekly barometer of the top teams and sparking discussions and comparisons among fans, coaches, and players.
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AP Poll's influence on postseason play
In American college sports, the Associated Press (AP) poll provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in Division I sports, including men's and women's basketball. The AP poll is compiled by 62 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the nation, each ranking their top 25 teams. The individual rankings are then combined to produce a national ranking, with a team receiving 25 points for a first-place vote, 24 for a second-place vote, and so on. While the AP poll is influential in shaping public and media perceptions of the leading teams, its impact on postseason play varies across different sports.
In Division I men's and women's college basketball, the AP Poll is primarily a tool for comparison and debate during the regular season. It does not directly influence the postseason play or the NCAA basketball tournament, also known as March Madness. Generally, the top 25 teams in the AP Poll are invited to the tournament, but their seeding and matchups are determined by other factors.
In college football, the AP Poll has a more complex relationship with postseason play. Historically, the AP Poll was the primary method for determining the national champion in college football, dating back to the 1930s. The public and media often acknowledged the leading vote-getter in the final AP Poll as the national champion. However, with the introduction of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1997, there were attempts to unify poll results and organise a "real" national championship game.
The AP Poll was initially included in the determination of BCS rankings, along with other factors such as the Coaches Poll and computer-based polls. However, due to controversies and disagreements between the BCS and AP rankings, the AP demanded that its poll no longer be used in the BCS rankings from the 2004-2005 season onwards. This highlights the AP Poll's influence and the willingness to separate from postseason rankings when necessary.
While the AP Poll no longer directly determines the participants or format of postseason play in college football, it remains a significant aspect of the sport's history and tradition. The final AP Poll of the season carries weight and significance, even as the CFP committee now determines who plays for the national title. The AP Poll provides a historical record of how the public and media viewed the quality of teams during a particular season, adding context to upsets, schedules, and win-loss records. Additionally, the AP Poll can have financial implications, with coaches' contracts and athletic department apparel contracts sometimes including bonuses tied to poll rankings.
In summary, the AP Poll's influence on postseason play varies between sports. In college basketball, the AP Poll is primarily a tool for comparison during the regular season, with no direct impact on postseason play. In college football, while the AP Poll no longer determines postseason participants, it remains an important historical record and can have financial consequences for coaches and athletic departments. The AP Poll's role in shaping public and media perceptions of the leading teams contributes to its influence on postseason play, even when it does not directly determine the participants.
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Coaches and writers involved in the AP Poll
In American college sports, the Associated Press poll (AP poll) ranks the top 25 NCAA teams in Division I sports, including men's and women's basketball. The rankings are based on the opinions of 62 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the nation. Each voter ranks their top 25 teams, with the individual rankings combined to produce the national ranking. The AP poll is released every Monday, and the ballots of voting members are publicized.
The AP poll is one of the two major college basketball polls, the other being the Coaches Poll. The Coaches Poll is conducted by USA Today Sports and consists of a panel of 31 head coaches at Division I schools, chosen in consultation with the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Each coach submits a Top 25 ranking, with points assigned to each ranking in descending order.
The AP poll began ranking the top 20 college men's basketball teams during the 1948–1949 season and has issued rankings continuously since the 1950–1951 season. In 1989-1990, the poll was expanded to include 25 teams. The women's basketball poll began during the 1976–1977 season and was initially a poll of coaches conducted by Mel Greenberg and published by The Philadelphia Inquirer. The poll was taken over by the AP in 1994, and the contributors were switched from coaches to a panel of writers.
Over the history of the poll, over 255 coaches have had a team represented in the AP poll. The AP poll is used as a tool to compare schools and spark debate, as it has no bearing on postseason play. However, generally, all top 25 teams in the poll are invited to the NCAA basketball tournament, also known as March Madness.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 62 AP voters for basketball.
The AP voters are sportswriters and broadcasters from across the nation.
Each voter ranks their top 25 teams, and the individual rankings are combined to produce the national ranking. A team receives 25 points for a first-place vote, 24 for a second-place vote, and so on, down to 1 point for a 25th-place vote.
The AP poll rankings are typically released every Monday for basketball.
No, the AP poll in Division I men's and women's college basketball is just a tool for comparison and discussion throughout the season. However, generally, all top 25 teams in the poll are invited to the NCAA basketball tournament (March Madness).
