Kristian Ferrell
The AP Poll, conducted by the Associated Press, releases new college basketball rankings every Monday, usually in the early afternoon (around 1 pm EST). The rankings are determined by a panel of sports writers and broadcasters who vote weekly during the season. The AP Poll is not the only college basketball poll, and unlike college football, it has no impact on the postseason.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Day of release | Monday |
| Time of release | Around 1 p.m. for those on East Coast time |
| Frequency | Weekly |
| Number of ranked teams | 364 Division I teams |
| Number of voters | 62 or 63 sportswriters and broadcasters |
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What You'll Learn
AP Poll release day and time
The AP Poll, or the Associated Press poll, is a ranking of the top 25 NCAA teams in Division I sports, including men's and women's basketball. The poll is released weekly during the season, usually on Mondays, with ballots publicized.
The AP Poll has been running continuously since the 1950-1951 season, with the women's basketball poll beginning in 1976-1977. The poll is compiled by 62 or 63 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the nation, each providing their ranking of the top 25 teams. The individual rankings are then combined to produce a national ranking, with a simple points system based on how each voter ranks the teams.
The AP Poll is released every Monday, often early in the afternoon (around 1 pm) for those on East Coast time. There may be some variation in the release day and time, as in one instance, the AP Poll was published on a Tuesday.
The AP Poll is largely just a tool to compare schools throughout the basketball season and spark debate, as it has no bearing on postseason play. However, generally, all top 25 teams in the poll are invited to the men's and women's NCAA basketball tournament, also known as March Madness.
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AP Poll's history
The AP Poll, or the Associated Press poll, has a long history in American college sports. It provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in three Division I sports: football, men's basketball, and women's basketball. The AP Poll is not just limited to basketball and has been running continuously since the 1930s, with one of the earliest polls conducted by the AP in November 1934.
The AP Poll for college football specifically has been running since 1936. Initially, the wire service ranked 20 teams, but this expanded to 25 in 1989. The AP also began conducting a preseason poll in 1950. The AP Poll for men's basketball began during the 1948-1949 season and has been issued continuously since 1950-1951. The women's basketball poll started later, during the 1976-1977 season.
The rankings are compiled by polling 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 a first-place vote receiving 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, and so on. The ballots of voting members are publicized.
The AP Poll for college basketball is released every Monday during the season, often in the early afternoon (around 1 p.m.) Eastern Time. In contrast, the football poll is released on Sundays at 2 p.m. Eastern Time during the season.
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AP Poll's impact on college basketball
The AP Poll, or the Associated Press poll, is a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA teams in Division I men's and women's basketball. The AP Poll has been conducted since the 1948–1949 season and has been released continuously since the 1950–1951 season. The poll is released every Monday, usually in the early afternoon (around 1 pm Eastern Time).
The AP Poll is 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 team is given 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 ballots of the voting members are publicized.
The AP Poll is not the only college basketball poll, and it has no bearing on postseason play. The other major poll is the Coaches Poll, which has been published by several organizations, including the United Press, United Press International, USA Today, CNN, and ESPN. Having two major polls has led to split" national titles on several occasions, where the two polls disagree on the No. 1 team.
In Division I men's and women's college basketball, the AP Poll is primarily a tool for comparing schools throughout the season and sparking debate. Generally, all top 25 teams in the poll are invited to the NCAA basketball tournament, also known as March Madness. The AP Poll provides a way for fans to track the performance of their favourite teams and players throughout the season and generates discussion and analysis among the college basketball community.
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AP Poll's ranking process
In American college sports, the Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I sports: football, men's basketball, and women's basketball. The AP Poll is released every Monday during the season, often early in the afternoon (around 1 pm) for those on East Coast time. The rankings are compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the nation. Each voter provides their ranking of the top 25 teams, and the individual rankings are then combined to produce the national ranking. Voters assign a team 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 has a long history in college sports, dating back to the 1930s. Initially, the AP Poll only ranked 20 teams, with a brief period from 1961 to 1967 where only ten teams were recognized. The AP expanded to the current 25 teams in 1989 and began conducting preseason polls in 1950. The women's basketball poll began during the 1976–1977 season and was compiled by Mel Greenberg and published by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The AP Poll is not the sole ranking system for college basketball. The Coaches Poll, published by organizations like USA Today, ESPN, and others, is another prominent poll. The existence of multiple polls has led to “split” national titles on several occasions, where the polls disagree on the top-ranked team.
While the AP Poll provides a widely recognized ranking system, it has limited influence on the postseason of college basketball. All top 25 teams in the poll are typically invited to the NCAA basketball tournament or "March Madness". However, the postseason tournament includes 68 teams, and seeding is based on seasonal on-court results rather than poll rankings.
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AP Poll's voters
The AP Poll, or the Associated Press poll, is a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I sports: football, men's basketball, and women's basketball. The AP Poll is released every Monday during the season, usually in the early afternoon (around 1 pm ET).
The AP Poll is compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the nation. Each voter, or panelist, provides their own ranking of the top 25 teams, and the individual rankings are then combined to produce the national ranking. Voters' ballots are publicized. The more first-place votes a team receives, the higher their ranking. For example, 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 twenty-fifth-place vote.
The AP Poll is not the only college basketball ranking system, and it has no impact on the postseason. Instead, it is used as a tool to compare schools throughout the season and spark debate. Generally, all top 25 teams in the poll are invited to the men's and women's NCAA basketball tournament, also known as March Madness.
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Frequently asked questions
The AP Poll is released every Monday during the season, usually in the early afternoon around 1 pm Eastern time.
The AP Poll, or the Associated Press poll, provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in Division I sports, including men's and women's basketball.
The rankings are determined by a panel of sports writers and broadcasters from across the nation. Each voter ranks the top 25 teams, and the individual rankings are then combined using a points system to produce the national ranking.
