With the schedule now in the 2026 portion of the campaign, teams around the country are jockeying for spots in the college basketball rankings to improve their resumes for an automatic bid in March. So who are the best teams in the nation right now?
We look to answer that question with our all-new women’s top 25 rankings.
25. Nebraska (LW: 25)
Year 10 is delivering the best team yet for Nebraska head coach Amy Williams. A key reason why is the play of sophomore Britt Prince. She has taken another leap forward this year and leads the team in scoring (17.8 PPG). She is the best scorer on a Cornuskers team posting 82.4 points a game.
After starting the season 13-0, they have struggled recently against better competition. It’s why the 14-5 is barely holding onto a spot in our new college basketball rankings.
24. Washington (UR)
Washington coach Tina Langley has done a good job turning the program around over her first four seasons. However, this may be a peak year because the Huskies are in a position to win over 20 games for the first time in nearly a decade. A major reason for their 15-4 start is the play of junior guard Sayvia Sellers, who leads the team in scoring (18.7).
While they have been inconsistent at times, their win over Michigan earlier this season showed they are a group that can’t be overlooked.
23. Iowa State (LW: 18)
Legendary Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly may have his best team ever in 2026. A major reason is the nation’s most dominant scorer, Audi Crooks. The junior has gotten on the radar of WNBA Draft scouts by scoring a career high 28.3 points a game on an astounding 69.8% from the floor due to her dominant post game.
Forward Addy Brown is also playing a major role as she averages a near double-double each night (13.1 points and 9.0 boards). The Cyclones looked like a dangerous team. However, a trio of losses, including to a 6-10 Cincinnati team, is why they plummet in our new college basketball rankings.
22. West Virginia (UR)
Since arriving in 2023, West Virginia head coach Mark Kellogg has turned the Mountaineers into a serious force in the Big 12. They have back-to-back 25-win seasons and are in position to do it for a third straight year after a 16-4 start to the season.
They have worked their way into the top 25 due to a formidable offense that boasts four players scoring 12 or more points a night. While West Virginia has played well this season, they continue to come up short against ranked teams, including a pair of losses this month to Texas Tech and TCU.
21. Alabama (LW: 21)
Head coach Kristy Curry has her Alabama team off to a strong 17-3 start this season. And it is mostly due to the great play of the big and small combo of Jessica Timmons and Essence Cody.
The pair leads the team in scoring as the duo is combining for close to 30 points a night. They are also strong on the boards. However, the Crimson Tide is among the top 25 because of an above-average defense. Unfortunately, it didn’t help them avoid a pair of back-to-back losses to Auburn and Tennessee.
20. Princeton (LW: 22)
Like the men’s team, Princeton’s women’s squad continues to be a consistently competitive program. However, head coach Carla Berube may have her best team yet after the Tigers have started the season 16-1. While the team lacks size, they have gotten some really good play from a bunch of talented players in their backcourt.
Leading the way in 2026 is junior Fadima Tall (13.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.2 steals a night) and her senior teammate Madison St. Rose (17.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists a night). The Ivy League team will be a sleeper in the tournament.
19. Ole Miss (LW: 17)
Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin looks to have another good Ole Miss squad on her hands in 2026 as the Rebels head into the weekend 16-4. The biggest reason for their positive start is the dynamic play of senior forwards Cotie McMahon and Christeen Iwuala.
Not only are they leading the team in scoring (18.7 and 14.2 PPG, respectively), but they also have been reliable on the boards. Combining for over 14 rebounds a night.
Unfortunately, Ole Miss has been an inconsistent group in recent weeks. Despite a big win over Oklahoma earlier this month, they took a step back with a surprise defeat to Georgia.
18. Oklahoma (LW: 15)
Following an early-season loss to UCLA, Jennie Baranczyk’s Oklahoma team got on a roll and won 13 straight. The Sooners did it with an offense that is scoring 89.8 PPG — third in the nation — and impressive play from freshman Aaliyah Chavez.
However, they take a big dip in our latest college basketball rankings after a trio of losses, including to Kentucky and LSU.
17. Maryland (LW: 12)
Maryland has gotten off to a very nice 17-3 start due to some great play from their quartet of guards. The group features WNBA Draft prospect Yarden Garzon, but is led by junior Oluchi Okananwa, who is posting 17.3 points and 5.3 rebounds a night.
The Big Ten squad that owns a win over Kentucky and is among the top scoring teams in the nation (84.8 PPG) continues to fall in our college basketball rankings after losing three of its last six, including to Ohio State and UCLA.
16. Tennessee (LW: 20)
Kim Caldwell’s Tennessee squad boasts a strong starting five that features four different players averaging 11 points or more per night. Including junior Talaysia Cooper. The talented guard is posting 14.9 points, 5.7 boards, and leads the team with 4.1 assists a night
The 13-3 Lady Vols have lost all three of their games against ranked teams this season. But they will get the chance to make a big jump in the top 25 with upcoming games against Kentucky and Ole Miss after a recent win over Alabama.
15. Texas Tech (LW: 16)
In year six, Texas Tech coach Krista Gerlich may have her best team yet after the Lady Raiders began the year 19-0. That start was due to the impressive play of veteran guards Snudda Collins, Bailey Maupin, and Jalynn Bristow.
The trio is posting close to 43 points and 15 boards a night. That and their strong defense are why they are ranked in the top 25. However, a pair of upset losses to Kansas State and BYU is why they fall in our latest college basketball rankings.
14. Baylor (LW: 19)
Baylor opened the year with a big win over Duke and has, for the most part, continued that momentum into the new year. They enter the weekend with an 18-3 record and have gotten some real strong play from sophomore Taliah Scott and senior forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs.
Scott is leading the way in scoring (20.6 PPG), while Littlepage-Buggs is posting 10 and 11 a night. After a recent slump where they lost two of three, they’ve reeled off seven straight Ws, including a big one over Iowa State.
13. Michigan State (LW: 13)
Michigan State has had a very good season so far due to having one of the better offenses in college basketball. The Spartans are ninth in the nation in scoring (86.6 PPG) and are led by star forward Grace Vanslooten.
The senior is first on the team in scoring (15.1 PPG) and is leading in blocks. She is part of a talented big and small duo with Kennedy Blair. It is why the team is 17-2 heading into the weekend.
12. Kentucky (LW: 7)
Year two for Kentucky head coach Kenny Brooks is off to a promising start. The Wildcats have begun their campaign by going 17-3, including big Ws over Louisville and LSU. Landing a spot in the top 25 has been led by a big season from junior Clara Strack.
The one-time Virginia Tech recruit leads the team with 16.1 points and 10.1 boards nightly. However, beyond the play of their top star, Kentucky has been a formidable team in the SEC because of a good defense that is giving up 55.7 PPG.
11. Ohio State (LW: 14)
Sophomore Jaloni Cambridge (21.6 PPG) leads an Ohio State team that has been a very effective group on offense. While they have a loss to UConn on their resume, the 11th-best scoring team in the country enters the weekend with an impressive 17-2 record.
Along with the play of Cambridge, senior Chance Gray has provided a reliable secondary scoring threat, and Kylee Kitts has emerged as a consistent double-double threat. Their recent wins over Maryland and TCU proved the Buckeyes can be a dangerous team in March.
10. Iowa (LW: 11)
Although Iowa took a step back last season — its first in four years without Caitlin Clark and legendary coach Lisa Bluder — year two for coach Jan Jensen has been far better as the Hawkeyes head into the weekend with a 16-2 record.
Leading the way are sophomore Ava Heiden (16.1 points and 7.7 boards) and senior Hannah Stuelke (14.2 points and 8.5 rebounds). While they hit a big bump in the road in a loss to UConn last month, they bounced back with six straight wins, including over Michigan State.
9. TCU (LW: 9)
TCU is off to a strong 18-2 start due to the performance of seniors Marta Suarez (15.9 points and 6.4 rebounds) and Olivia Miles (19.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.3 assists). But they have also dominated much of their competition with an elite defense that is giving up 53.4 PPG — which is sixth best in the nation.
After winning 34 games and reaching the regional final last year, Mark Campbell’s team has continued that momentum in their 2025-26 campaign. However, an upset loss to Utah and a recent defeat to Ohio State are why TCU drops out of our top 10.
8. Louisville (LW: 10)
Laura Ziegler and Tajiana Roberts have been a nice one-two punch for Louisville this season. They are the main reason why the Cardinals are among the best teams in the ACC after an 18-3 start.
While the Cardinals have three losses, they have all come against ranked teams, including an elite UConn squad. However, in recent weeks, victories over Tennessee and Notre Dame have gotten the Cardinals back in the top-10 discussion.
7. Michigan (LW: 8)
Michigan is among the top-10 scoring teams in the nation (87.6 PPG) because of a quartet of guards all averaging double-digit points a night. But the best of the bunch is uber-talented sophomore Olivia Olson, who leads the team in scoring at 17.8 PPG, and is adding 5.6 boards and 1.7 steals per night.
If the Wolverines want to return to the top 10, they need more wins over prominent teams. They have come up short in both their matchups against top 10 schools — UConn and Vanderbilt — this season.
6. LSU (LW: 4)
Kim Mulkey has an LSU team that can match Pokey Chatman’s groups from two decades ago and win 30 or more games for a fourth straight year. A major reason why is the strong play of senior Flau’Jae Johnson.
She and junior Milaysua Fulwiley are scoring close to 30 points combined and lead an offense that is by far the best in the nation as they put up just under 100 points a night. Recent losses to both Kentucky and Vanderbilt created questions about their potential this year. However, back-to-back wins over Texas and Oklahoma show they remain an elite school in the country.
5. Texas (LW: 5)
Vic Schaefer has turned Texas into a yearly powerhouse in the SEC, and the 2025-26 edition seems primed to do something they haven’t done since the ’80s by winning 30 or more games for a third straight year. A major reason is top star, Madison Booker.
The junior forward leads the team in scoring (19.0), and is second in rebounds (7.0), assists (4.0), and steals (2.6). Along with talented point guard Rori Harmon, the Longhorns offense is posting 88.8 points a night. Which is the fourth best in the nation. However, they have slipped out of the top five after recent setbacks to LSU and South Carolina.
4. Vanderbilt (LW: 6)
Led by sophomore Mikayla Blakes (25.0 PPG), Vanderbilt is the cream of the crop in the SEC after a 19-0 start to the 2025-26 season. The Commodores are also getting a breakout year from freshman guard Aubrey Galvan. The Illinois native is posting 11.5 points, 3.2 boards, and 6.3 assists per game.
While Vandy lacked a win against a ranked program for much of their season, their recent victories over LSU and Michigan have shown they have emerged as a dark horse title contender.
3. UCLA (LW: 2)
UCLA has several players who could be top 20 picks in the next WNBA Draft, including likely No.1 selection Lauren Betts. Their lone blemish is an early loss to Texas, but outside of that, they are 17-1 and have wins over seven ranked teams, including Ohio State.
Their strong play has been led by big seasons from senior guard Kiki Rice and Betts. The duo is combining for over 30 points, 15 boards, 7 assists, and 2 steals. The duo is the focus of an offense that is among the 10 best in the nation (87.0 PPG).
2. South Carolina (LW: 3)
Dawn Staley once again has another very good South Carolina team in 2026. While stars like Ta’Niya Latson and Madina Okot are getting serious WNBA Draft buzz, sophomore Joyce Edwards has stolen the show as she leads the team in scoring (20.6 PPG).
While a razor-thin loss to Texas is the one blemish on their 19-1 record, they are the fifth-best scoring team in the country (88.7 PPG) and recently avenged that loss to the Longhorns.
1. UConn (LW: 1)
It’s another year in women’s college basketball, and Geno Auriemma has another UConn team that looks primed to win it all again this March. The Big East’s greatest team has dominated its way to an 18-0 start and already owns wins over four ranked teams this season.
While they lost star Paige Bueckers to the WNBA Draft, senior guard Azzi Fudd and sophomore forward Sarah Strong are maintaining the program’s sky-high standard. The duo is combining for close to 40 points and 7 assists a night and leading a team that is second-best on offense. However, they are also the No. 1 defense in the country (51.4 opponents’ points per game).
