San Diego State, coming off its deep run at the 2023 NCAA Tournament, is ranked 17th in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll.
It marks the fifth time in program history, and second straight season that SDSU has earned a spot on the initial AP poll. The season begins in two weeks.
The Aztecs are the only program in the Mountain West – and one of three in California – to make the AP’s opening poll. The list is topped by Kansas, Duke and Purdue.
Among the previous appearances in the preseason AP poll, San Diego State was ranked as high as No. 16, to open the 2014-15 campaign, and at No. 19 last year.
The Aztecs finished at No. 18 in final AP Top 25 in April, in a season that ended with a spot in the NCAA national championship game, which SDSU lost to UConn.
San Diego State finished first in the preseason media poll to predict which team will win the MW.
The team welcomes back a pair of returning starters in Lamont Butler and Darrion Trammell, along with Jaedon LeDee and Micah Parrish. Five newcomers are joining the fold, including Reese Waters and Jay Pal.
The Aztecs play an exhibition on Monday against Cal State San Marcos at Viejas Arena and then host its regular-season opener on Nov. 6 against Cal State Fullerton.
Meanwhile, aware that the team will have five consecutive road games from Nov. 17 through Dec. 5, San Diego State has contracted to play Point Loma Nazarene on Nov. 27 at Viejas.
“That five-game stretch away from home was a bit more than we wanted, so I’m happy we could find a game against a good opponent to break it up,” men’s basketball coach Brain Dutcher said.
