Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Teams Dominating 2026 Rankings
The latest USA TODAY Sports Top 25 women’s basketball poll is out, and it’s stirring up plenty of conversation. This week’s list spotlights Connecticut’s ongoing dominance—they haven’t lost a single game.
Other top contenders have shuffled around quite a bit. The rankings show each team’s record through Monday and use a points system that factors in first-place votes.
The Top Contenders
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Connecticut sits comfortably at number one, still undefeated at 29-0. They’ve racked up a perfect 775 points and grabbed all 31 first-place votes.
UCLA holds onto second place with a 27-1 record and 741 points, though they didn’t get any first-place nods. South Carolina lands at third, sporting a 27-2 record and 716 points.
Rising Stars
Some teams are definitely on the rise. Vanderbilt jumped up to fifth from sixth, thanks to their solid 25-3 season.
LSU climbed as well, now at sixth place with a 24-4 record. Iowa made the biggest leap, moving from twelfth to ninth after a strong 22-5 run.
Shifts in the Middle of the Pack
The middle of the rankings got a shakeup. Michigan dropped from fifth to eighth, even though they’re still 22-5.
Louisville slipped from eighth to eleventh, and Ohio State moved down from tenth to twelfth. Maryland managed to climb up to thirteenth from fifteenth.
Teams Holding Steady
Some programs held their ground this week. Texas stayed put at fourth with a 26-3 record.
Oklahoma didn’t budge from seventh, finishing the week at 21-6. Kentucky managed to keep their eighteenth spot, even with a tough season.
New Entrants and Dropouts
There are fresh faces in the poll, and a few teams have exited. Iowa State broke into the rankings at twenty-fifth with a 21-7 record.
Tennessee dropped out after a rough 16-10 season. Teams like Princeton, Rice, and Colorado picked up votes but didn’t crack the top 25.
Honorable Mentions
Some teams just missed the cut but still earned a nod. Princeton (21-3) picked up 29 points, and Rice (24-3) got 11 points.
Others worth mentioning? Rhode Island, Washington, and North Dakota State are hanging around, hoping for a shot next time.
Conclusion
The latest USA TODAY Sports Top 25 women’s basketball poll offers a snapshot of college basketball right now. You can see which teams dominate and which ones are starting to make some noise.
Connecticut sits at the top, but honestly, the race for those higher spots looks wild. Want the full rankings or just curious about the details? Check out the AP News article.