1. Maryland- No surprise that Maryland is at the top of this list. After finishing last season with just one loss, the addition of nine freshmen should do nothing but improve their chances come playoff time.
2. North Carolina- The Tar Heels are probably the team that will give Maryland the toughest time, and with most of their team returning from last year, there’s a good chance they will be heading back to the championship.
3. Florida- The Gators are going into the regular season with a very young team. There’s no doubt they showed some good stuff during fall ball, but will they be able to sustain the pressure of the regular season and playoffs? I think so.
4. Northwestern- Caley Chelios stood out for Northwestern during fall ball, so she could be the key to a highly successful season for the Wildcats.
5. Syracuse- The Orange is a very experienced team with many players from last year’s 18-4 season returning for another year. While I don’t know if they make the playoffs, they should be a great team to watch throughout the season.
6. Penn State- Penn State will play Maryland early on during the regular season, so fans will be able to get a good idea of what this team will be bringing to the table. Last year, they lost by 10 points.
7. Duke- Though a talented team, these women are often left in the dust of their male counterparts. This is an above average team, but a long shot to win it big.
8. Virginia- After nearly defeating the Tar Heels last season, Virginia has certainly proven they are a legitimate threat. If they can pull out a win against NC or Maryland this year, other team’s should watch out.
9. Stony Brook- Stony Brook had a pretty good off season, but failed to defeat any big name teams.
10. Georgetown- Georgetown has some good, young talent coming in, so hopefully they can improve on last year’s 13-6 record.
