BOULDER – The Colorado women’s basketball team moved up 15 slots in AP rankings to No. 5 in the nation with the reveal of the updated rankings on Monday.

The ranking is the highest for the Buffaloes since finishing No. 2 in the final AP poll of the 1994-95 season (Mar. 14) and it’s the 23rd time CU has been inside the AP’s top-5.

CU’s jump from No. 20 to No. 5 is the largest jump in AP poll history.

“We are very honored to be ranked in the top five and appreciate the voters’ confidence in us,” head coach JR Payne exclaimed. “I’m most proud that while it’s very exciting, our team will just continue to work in the exact same fashion we always do and that’s trying to be excellent today. Our belief in striving for daily excellence is how we end up in the position that we are. Excited to keep growing and keep getting better.”

South Carolina moved into the No. 1 spot following CU’s 92-78 defeat of previously No.1 LSU to open the season. Iowa, UCLA and Utah round out the rest of the top 5.

The Buffs’ eye-opening win over the defending national champion Tigers in Las Vegas garnered immediate attention from across the nation and set the tone for CU’s 2023-24 season. The win was tabbed ESPN.com’s Win of the Week.

CU followed up with a big win 97-38 win over Le Moyne in the Buffs’ home opener last Wednesday and Coach Payne’s squad concluded the week with a come-from-behind 86-75 win over Oklahoma State on Sunday.

Colorado averaged 91.7 points per game in the opening week, ranking 19th in the NCAA after three games. CU had three consecutive games of 85-plus points for the first time since Nov. 28-Dec., 2014.

Graduate Jaylyn Sherrod handed out 23 assists last week, climbing to fifth in the nation in the category. As a team, CU had 24.3 assists per game, also good for 5th in the NCAA. Sherrod’s 7.7 helpers per game is second in the Pac-12 and eighth in the country.

Junior Aarronette Vonleh posted 24 points against LSU on 11-of-15 shooting. Her performance garnered immediate national attention, most notably from Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neil. She led the Buffs with 18.3 points per game last week and ranks ninth national in field goals made (23) and 24th in field goal % (74.2). Vonleh had her first double-double of the season against Le Moyne, posting 13 points and 11 rebounds in 22 minutes.

Another early star for the Buffs has been senior Frida Formann. The Danish guard tied CU’s school record with seven 3-pointers in the opener against LSU. She starts this week fourth in the NCAA with 11 makes and is averaging. 3.67 3’s per game.

The Buffs have a bit of downtime until they take the court under the newly minted ranking. Colorado will head to SMU on Nov. 18 to take on the Mustangs in Dallas.

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Story by Seth Pringle, Athletic Communicattions for CUBuffs.com. Content courtesy of the University of Colorado at Boulder.