A single human poll represents the 1980–81 AIAW Division I women's basketball rankings, the AP Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. The AP poll was initially a poll of coaches conducted via telephone, where coaches identified top teams and a list of the Top 20 team was produced. The contributors continued to be coaches until 1994, when the AP took over administration of the poll from Mel Greenberg, and switched to a panel of writers. The AP poll is currently a poll of sportswriters. The AP conducts polls weekly through the end of the regular season and conference play.
Legend – Not ranked (#) Ranking
AP Poll Source
Team25-Nov2-Dec9-Dec16-Dec23-Dec30-Dec5-Jan13-Jan20-Jan27-Jan3-Feb10-Feb17-Feb24-Feb3-Mar8-Mar15-Mar26-MarLouisiana Tech111111111111111111Tennessee33367797710117743322Old Dominion222222222322366633Southern California121312121212121210878889944Cheyney1099991111989891077855Long Beach St.655444444665422276UCLA16121010885664565987107Maryland141616181717171414119121113131398Rutgers444333333244255589Kansas9775556555336344610Kentucky171714151414141197101091010101111Oregon131115171515152018161714141212121412North Carolina St.1110111110971012131513151716141313Stephen F. Austin7151714131313161712121719T2019191614Illinois St.–––––––1920––––––––15Texas8887668811141411131111111216Jackson St.––––––T201719––––––––17Minnesota–––––––––181918181515151518Oregon St.––––––––––––––––1819Clemson191919161918–––20–191619–162020Auburn––––––––––20T2020T201817––Colorado–––20201918––––––––1817–East Carolina–––––––––1918––181720––Georgia St.––––––––––––––––19–Kansas St.151413131616161516–––––––––Mercer181818–––––––––––––––Penn St.20––1918–––––––––––––San Diego St.–––––––––––T20––––––San Francisco–––––2019–––––––––––South Carolina56681110101313151315121414–––Virginia––––––T201815171616171620–––Wayland Baptist–2020–––––––––––––––
References