Amanda Knapp
In American college sports, the Associated Press (AP) releases 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 a tool to compare schools throughout the season and spark debate, and it has no bearing on postseason play. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters and broadcasters from across the nation, with each voter providing their own ranking of the top 25 teams. The AP poll has a long history, dating back to the 1930s, and has played a significant role in recognizing national champions in college football.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What | AP Poll |
| Sport | College Basketball |
| Division | I |
| Teams Ranked | Top 25 |
| Frequency | Weekly |
| Poll Conducted By | Associated Press |
| Who Votes | 62 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the nation |
| Voting System | Each voter provides their own ranking of the top 25 teams, and the individual rankings are then combined to produce the national ranking by giving 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. |
| History | The AP Poll began in the 1930s. The women's basketball poll began during the 1976–1977 season. |
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What You'll Learn
AP Top 25 Basketball Poll
The AP Top 25 Basketball Poll is a ranking of the top 25 men's and women's college basketball teams in the NCAA. The rankings are based on the votes of a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters and are released weekly during the college basketball season. The AP Poll is one of the most widely recognized and respected rankings in college basketball and is used to help determine the field for the NCAA Tournament, also known as March Madness.
The AP Top 25 Basketball Poll includes both a men's and a women's poll, with the men's poll typically receiving more attention and coverage. The rankings are based on a points system, with teams receiving points based on their placement in the poll. First-place votes are worth the most points, with lower-ranked teams receiving fewer points. The team with the most points is ranked first, and so on.
In addition to the AP Top 25 Basketball Poll, there is also a separate AP Coaches Poll, which is a ranking of the top 25 college basketball teams based on the votes of head coaches from across the country. The Coaches Poll is similar to the AP Poll but often features different rankings, as the coaches may have different opinions and perspectives than the sportswriters and broadcasters who vote in the AP Poll.
The AP Top 25 Basketball Poll is typically released on Mondays during the college basketball season, with the rankings updated to reflect the results of the previous week's games. The rankings are often released in the afternoon, with the exact time varying depending on the week. The AP Poll is usually one of the first rankings to be released, with other polls and power rankings following throughout the week.
The AP Top 25 Basketball Poll is an important tool for college basketball fans, providing a snapshot of the current landscape of the sport and helping to identify the top teams and players in the country. The rankings can also be used to track the progress of teams throughout the season and to predict match-ups and outcomes for the NCAA Tournament.
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NCAA College Basketball Rankings
The NCAA Tournament's opening weekend, known as March Madness, is a highly anticipated event in the college basketball calendar, with high hopes for great games in the Sweet 16. The Athletic's Men's March Madness Elite Eight Power Rankings highlighted Duke's Cooper Flagg, who delivered an "unprecedented performance", as well as Texas Tech's comeback, which resulted in the tournament's first overtime.
Player rankings also garner a lot of attention, with The Athletic's 2025 transfer portal rankings listing the top players in the NCAA men's basketball transfer portal. Lincoln Mem. and St. John's Red Storm's Jordan Stirtz are among the players to watch. Stirtz is a "tremendous processor" who can "play on and off the ball" and is expected to be a valuable asset for Iowa. Another player to look out for is Dent, a "borderline All-American" who is "wildly competitive" and has an impressive ability to "read the court".
The College Basketball Power Index (BPI) is a further measure of team strength, predicting future performance based on how many points a team is above or below average. Strength of Record (SOR) is another ranking system that takes into account how challenging it is for a team to achieve its win-loss record.
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AP Player of the Year
The AP Player of the Year award is presented annually by the Associated Press (AP) to the best men's and women's college basketball players of the season. The award was established in 1961 and has been awarded every year since 1967.
The only three-time winner of the award is Ralph Sampson of the Virginia Cavaliers, who won from 1981-83. Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Zach Edey, Jerry Lucas, David Thompson, and Bill Walton have each won the award twice.
Duke University has produced the most AP Players of the Year with seven winners, followed by UCLA with five, and Ohio State with four.
In 2024, Caitlin Clark of the University of Iowa was named the AP Player of the Year.
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AP Coach of the Year
The AP Coach of the Year award is an annual award presented to the top men's and women's college basketball coaches in the United States. The award was first given to UCLA's John Wooden in 1967. Recent recipients of the award include South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley and Iowa star Caitlin Clark, who was named the AP Player of the Year.
The AP Coach of the Year award is one of the most prestigious honours in college basketball. It recognizes the outstanding achievements and contributions of coaches to the sport and their impact on the success of their teams. The award is decided by a panel of sportswriters and media members who vote for the coach they believe has demonstrated superior coaching abilities, leadership, and strategic skills during the college basketball season.
The award is typically announced towards the end of the college basketball season, often coinciding with the NCAA Tournament or the Final Four. It is a highly anticipated announcement, as it acknowledges the pivotal role that coaches play in the development and success of their teams. The AP Coach of the Year award not only recognizes the tactical prowess of the recipients but also their ability to lead, inspire, and mentor their players both on and off the court.
Over the years, the award has honoured some of the most renowned coaches in college basketball history. It has become a testament to the dedication, innovation, and excellence that these coaches bring to the sport. The recipients of the AP Coach of the Year award are often remembered for their impactful contributions to the game, shaping not only the present but also the future of college basketball.
While the award primarily focuses on the coaches' performance and impact during a single season, it also serves as a testament to their long-term dedication and influence on the sport. The AP Coach of the Year award is a celebration of the coaches' ability to bring out the best in their players, fostering a culture of hard work, teamwork, and sportsmanship that extends beyond the basketball court and into the lives of the student-athletes they mentor.
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AP Pro32 rankings
The AP Pro32 rankings are released by the Associated Press and are a set of NFL power rankings for all 32 teams in the league. The rankings are based on the votes of 12 members of the media from a variety of sports news organizations, including ESPN, NBC Sports, CBS Sports, and Fox Sports. The voters take into account a team's performance, acquisitions, and losses during the offseason and preseason to determine their ranking.
In 2017, for example, the New York Giants were the defending Super Bowl champions but were ranked third in the AP Pro32 power rankings, behind the Green Bay Packers and the New England Patriots. The Broncos, a popular offseason topic due to their acquisition of future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, were ranked 10th. Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys, who entered the 2017 season with high expectations, were ranked 15th.
The AP Pro32 rankings are a prestigious honor that carries weight in the NFL community. They provide fans, players, and coaches with an early assessment of how teams are expected to perform during the upcoming season. While the rankings are not a perfect predictor of regular-season success, they do offer valuable insights and generate discussion and analysis among football enthusiasts.
Although the specific release schedule for the AP Pro32 rankings may vary, they are typically unveiled during the preseason, providing a comprehensive overview of the league's landscape before the official start of the NFL season. The rankings are highly anticipated and widely circulated by sports media outlets, sparking conversations and debates among fans and analysts alike.
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Frequently asked questions
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 rankings are compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the nation. Each voter provides their own ranking of the top 25 teams, and the individual rankings are then combined to produce the national ranking by giving a team 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 football poll is released on Sundays at 2 pm Eastern Time during the season, unless ranked teams have not finished their games.
The AP poll began in the 1930s when the news media started running their own polls of sports writers to determine the best college football teams in the country. The AP expanded to the current 25 teams in 1989 and began conducting a preseason poll in 1950.
No, in Division I men's and women's college basketball, the AP Poll is largely just a tool to compare schools throughout the season and spark debate, as it has no bearing on postseason play.
