Women’s college basketball Way-Too-Early Top 25: The best teams in 2025-26, ranked

UConn, South Carolina and UCLA seemed built to return to the Final Four. But what about teams like Duke and USC?

The women’s college basketball season is over. It ended on Sunday in Tampa, Florida where UConn won its 12th national championship by beating South Carolina 82-59 behind the stellar play of the Huskies’ big three — Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong.

But a lot of fans of this sport have short attention spans. Instead of focusing on the why and how of UConn’s win over South Carolina, they’ve moved on to next season, which is already beginning to take shape. As the NCAA Tournament has gone on, the coaching carousel has been spinning and the transfer portal has been sending players to new teams.

So we’re here to give you a way-too-early look ahead at what next season will look like. Certainly, this will change after the transfer portal closes, but for now, these are the 25 teams that look like contenders heading into the 2025-26 season.

25. Iowa

Jan Jensen will have this team playing better in Year Two.

24. TCU

TCU should probably be placed higher here, but the Horned Frogs have to replace the production of Hailey Van Lith, Madison Conner and Sedona Prince. With no top 100 recruits coming in, they have work to do in the portal.

23. West Virginia

Mark Kellogg’s pressing defense will keep West Virginia competitive, but replacing JJ Quinerly will be difficult.

22. Kansas State

The Wildcats bring in three top 100 recruits, but replacing Serena Sundell and Ayoka Lee won’t be easy.

21. Ohio State

Cotie McMahon is in the transfer portal, but the Cambridge sisters and other key contributors return for the Buckeyes.

20. Oklahoma State

Micah Gray and Stailee Heard — the Cowgirls’ top two leading scorers — are back to play under Jacie Hoyt.

19. Richmond

Maggie Doogan and Rachel Ullstrom return, which means the Spiders — who defeated Georgia Tech in the first round of the NCAA Tournament — should be one of the best mid-major teams in the country again.

18. Baylor

The Lady Bears have some work to do to build around Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, but she represents a strong building block for the program. Auburn transfer Taliah Scott should provide a big boost as well.

17. Michigan

With the dynamic freshmen duo of Olivia Olson and Syla Swords returning, the future is bright for the Wolverines.

16. Iowa State

Audi Crooks and Addy Brown. Is there anything else to say about the Cyclones?

15. Kentucky

Kenny Brooks has to find a new point guard, but Clara Strack and Teonni Key return to create one of the more formidable front court duos.

14. Vanderbilt

The Commodores have one of the best returning duos in the country in Tamika Catchings Freshman of the Year Mikayla Blakes and Khamil Pierre, both of whom averaged more than 20 points per game this season.

13. Maryland

Brenda Frese knows how to build a team in the portal era. Bri McDaniel and Saylor Poffenbarger are back, so I’m going to go ahead and pencil the Terps in for another Sweet 16 trip.

12. NC State

Zoe Brooks and Tilda Trygger are back, but NC State has big shoes to fill following the departures of Madison Hayes, Saniya Rivers and Aziaha James.

11. Tennessee

The Lady Vols showed a lot of promise and proof of concept in Year One of the Kim Caldwell era. With key players returning and strong recruits incoming, they should keep rolling.

10. Notre Dame

The Irish will still have reigning ACC Player of the Year Hannah Hidalgo, but questions remain about the roster after a flurry of departures.

9. North Carolina

Alyssa Ustby leaves big shoes to fill, but UNC brings back Reniya Kelly and Indya Nivar, they’ve already landed Louisville transfer Nyla Harris, and bring in two top 25 recruits.

8. USC

Lindsay Gottlieb has proven to be a great coach, but she has a tall task ahead of her. It’s unclear if superstar JuJu Watkins will see the floor at all next year and Kiki Iriafen is out of eligibility.

7. Texas

The Longhorns bring back SEC Player of the Year Madison Booker, but could use an injection of offense if they want to increase their chances of making it back to the Final Four.

6. Oklahoma

Raegan Beers returns and the Sooners are also bringing in the nation’s No. 1 recruit, Aaliyah Chavez.

5. LSU

Flau’Jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams are back and we can bet on LSU to do some damage in the transfer portal. The Tigers also bring in three top 15 recruits.

4. Duke

The lone key contributor not returning to this team — which pushed South Carolina to the brink in the Elite Eight — is Reigan Richardson, who is out of eligibility. As Toby Fournier enters her sophomore season, the Blue Devils look like the ACC favorites.

3. UCLA

This team will still have 6-foot-7 Lauren Betts and the rest of the country will not. UCLA will be back in the mix next year

2. South Carolina

While Bree Hall and Sania Feagin are moving on, the Gamecocks still retain a strong core of Joyce Edwards, MiLaysia Fulwiley, Chloe Kitts and Tessa Johnson. South Carolina will surely add other pieces, but those players will keep them in contention.

1. UConn

Paige Bueckers is gone, but Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd will still be back. They were two of the best players on the floor at the Final Four, and should be plenty enough to keep the Huskies contending.