1. UCONN (Last season: 32-3, Final Four)

THE SKINNY: This season, Geno Auriemma faces a lot of questions, such as: "Who steps up when Sue Bird or Diana Taurasi -- the country's top backcourt -- needs a rest? Answers will come in time, but Auriemma's final question is rhetorical: "Who else could lose Kelly Schumacher, Shea Ralph and Svet Abrosimova and still be No. 1?"

2. VANDERBILT (Last season: 24-10, Elite Eight)

THE SKINNY: Talk all you want about Ashley McElhiney, Chantelle Anderson (potentially the greatest player in Vandy history) and Zuzi Klimesova, but the real story is a sixth-year senior, halfway to a master's in counseling -- Candice Storey. Says coach Jim Foster: "There isn't a person in this program who doesn't respect and listen to Candice." By March, Storey will be counseling the Commodores all the way to San Antonio.

3. OKLAHOMA (Last season: 28-6, Sweet 16)

THE SKINNY: Five years ago, Sherri Coale convinced Canadien PG Stacey Dales to join a program that had won five games the previous season. Now after back-to-back Big 12 titles, Dales joins a pair of high school teammates -- senior G LaNeishea Caufield and junior F Caton Hill -- to form the core of a veteran squad favored to win the nation's toughest conference.

4. LOUISIANA TECH (Last Season: 31-5, Elite Eight)

THE SKINNY: Leon Barmore's teams have won 30 or more games each of the past six seasons -- something that had never happened before in college hoops, men or women. With maybe his deepest group of post players, led by potential WNBA first-rounder Ayana Walker, Barmore should reach 30 wins again, a second national championship a strong possibility.

5. TENNESSEE (Last Season: 31-3, Sweet 16)

THE SKINNY: Last season, the Lady Vols were simply not The Lady Vols -- not tough-defending, quic-striking, ring-winning champs fans had come to expect. Pat Summit took the blame. Now they are young and different and led by junior F Gwen Jackson.

6. IOWA STATE (Last season: 27-6, Sweet 16)

THE SKINNY: Did somebody say repeat? Notre Dame supplied the punch line last March; now it's Iowa State's turn. After all, Angie Welle's numbers (18.3 ppg, 10 rpg, 66% from the field) were even bigger than Ruth Riley's. With a strong supporting cast in junior PG Lindsey Wilson and senior PF Tracy Gahan, the Cyclones look similar to last year's champs.

7.DUKE THE SKINNY: Blue Devils soph sensation Alana Beard has already impacted the women's game so much that coach Gail Goestenkors says, "I think she's much better than Chamique Holdsclaw at ths point in their careers." Only she hasn't won a national championship yet. And she'll need help from junior G Sheana Mosch.

8. TEXAS TECH (Last season: 25-7, Sweet 16)

THE SKINNY: Coach Marsha Sharp doesn't mind being caught in the afterglow of the Red Sweater. The Lady Raiders return eight of their top nine scorers, led by Naismith nominee Plenette Pierson. But with a tough schedule, Sharp's bunch will gladly accept help from the new BMOC.

9. STANFORD (Last season: 19-11, NCAA second round)

THE SKINNY: The Cardinal's five seniors should know their time's running out for NCAA glory. Still, Stanford's fate ultimately depends on super soph Nicole Powell who led the Cardinal in points, boards, assists, steals and minutes last season.

10. MICHIGAN (Last season: 19-12, NCAA second round)

THE SKINNY: The Flintstones they're not. But nine of 11 Wolverines hail from Michigan, including Ann Arbor's Tabith Pool. She joins a run-happy squad that has the potential to achieve the success of Messrs. Cleaves, Bell and Peterson from that other state school.

This article appears in the November 26 issue of ESPN The Magazine.