Although California has yet to land a recent graduate in a WNBA rotation, players like former WNBA first-round draft pick Ashley Walker have helped bring visibility to the program. Photo via jlindstr.smugmug.com

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We continue with the next level of programs. Most of the programs on this part of the list are fairly well known and can usually be expected to appear somewhere on either the weekly ESPN or AP polls. They're either listed somewhere near the bottom, or can usually be found in the small print, gathering a few votes here and there. They are usually well-known programs that have had some recent setbacks, or less familiar programs that are on their way up.

26. Temple: Second-year coach Tonya Cardoza has yet to put her mark on the program, where the Owls are still basking in the glow of the Dawn Staley era. Cardoza got Temple to 25 wins last year, but they were slaughtered by Connecticut in the second round of the NCAAs.
27. West Virginia: Mike Carey's 29 victories in 2010 were the most ever for the Mountaineers. In nine seasons with the program, six have been post-season appearances. Will it be PG Sarah Miles or G/F Korinne Campbell that leads the team into 2011?
28. Arizona State: 11 straight post-season appearances for Sun Devils under Charli Turner-Thorne. Graduation of G Briann January set Arizona State back to WNIT, but even without a big 2011 recruiting class Sun Devils always find a way.
29. Purdue: Purdue had been to the Big Dance 16 straight years and 21 out of last 22 with two Elite Eight appearances in 2007 and 2009 under Sharon Versyp. Last year's 15-17 finish and second round WNIT exit isn't what one expects of the Boilermakers.
30. California: When Joanne Boyle got to Cal, the Bears hadn't had a winning season since 1993. Despite losing players to graduation (Devanei Hampton and Ashley Walker in 2009, AlexisGray-Lawson in 2010) and transfers (Jene Morris), she took the Bears to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2009 and won the WNIT championship in 2010.

31. Gonzaga: Kelly Graves took a doormat of a program in the West Coast Conference to the second round of NCAAs in 2009 and to the Sweet Sixteen in 2010. Players like F Heather Bowman and F Vivian Frieson got WNBA attention.
32. Bowling Green: Six straight post-season appearances for the Falcons, a dominant Mid-American Conference team. Six regular-season championships. Seven straight seasons of 20+ wins, including 29 win and 31 win seasons. Young coach Curt Miller is sure to be snapped up by a major conference.
33. Old Dominion: Coach Wendy Larry has won almost 600 games. After 17 straight years in the NCAA tournament, in 2009 the Monarchs lost their first CAA Conference tournament in 17 years. Didn't make it in 2010 either, had to settle for WNIT.
34. Marist: Despite a school enrollment of about 4500, the Red Foxes are a power to be reckoned with. Went to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA in 2007, won 32 games in 2008. Brian Giorgis had a losing record in his first season in 2003 but won 32 games in 2008 and almost won 30 in 2007 and 2010.
35. Pittsburgh: Coach Agnus Berenato picked up her 400th career victory last year and got the Panthers to as high as #15. Five straight post-season appearances more remarkable by the fact that 2007 was their very first NCAA tournament visit.
36. James Madison: The Dukes won the Colonial Athletic Conference tournament for the first time since 1989 last year. Coach Kenny Brooks has led James Madison to five straight 24+ win seasons. G Tamera Young might have put JMU on the map but Brooks kept them there.
37. Auburn: Nell Fortner is definitely missing F DeWanna Bonner, now playing in the WNBA. After going 30-4 the previous season, the Tigers fell to 15-16 last year.
38. Hartford: The second-best program in Connecticut. Jen Rizotti took the program to their first ever national ranking in a year of undefeated America East play. Four straight 25+ win seasons.
39. Georgia Tech: MaChelle Joseph's program has gotten ever better and better over each of the last four years, each season with at least 20 wins. The best-kept secret in Atlanta. Senior G/F Alex Montgomery needs to stay healthy to lead this program into the post-season.
40. Oklahoma State: Kurt Budke took a program that went 23-61 with its previous coach and has led them to four post-season appearances in five years. His contract has been extended to 2017 and he'll now be earning $450K/year coaching the Cowgirls.

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