SEC Dominates Women’s Basketball Preseason AP Poll

Seven Southeastern Conference programs landed in the Associated Press preseason Top 25 women’s college basketball poll released Tuesday, cementing the league’s grip on the sport before a single regular-season game has tipped off.

South Carolina reclaimed the No. 1 spot after finishing last season ranked fourth in April following the national championship game. The Gamecocks displaced UCLA, which won the 2026 national title but plummeted to No. 11 in the new rankings. Vanderbilt (No. 8), LSU (No. 9), Kentucky (No. 14), Ole Miss (No. 19), Oklahoma (No. 21) and Oklahoma State (No. 22) join South Carolina in the top tier, according to the AP.

The concentration of power carries immediate scheduling consequences for Texas. The Longhorns, who earned consecutive Final Four appearances and finished No. 4 in the final April poll, dropped two spots to No. 6 this week. Before SEC conference play even begins, Texas must navigate five games against currently ranked opponents. The schedule opens Nov. 4 against Fairleigh Dickinson at Moody Center.

Texas Longhorns forward Madison Booker (35) celebrates a score during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Elite 8 game against Michigan at Dickies Arena on Monday, March 30, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)

UConn sits at No. 2, followed by USC at No. 3, Duke at No. 4 and Michigan at No. 5. Louisville rounds out the top seven. Iowa, North Carolina, Notre Dame, TCU, Washington, Minnesota, Ohio State, Maryland, West Virginia, Illinois and NC State fill the remaining slots through No. 25.

The Big 12, which lost Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC realignment wave that reshaped conference athletics, retained three ranked teams: TCU at No. 15, Oklahoma State at No. 22 and West Virginia at No. 24. Baylor, another former Big 12 heavyweight now competing in the conference, received 31 votes but fell outside the top 25 entirely.

Nebraska led all unranked programs with 47 votes, followed by Arizona State with 36. Virginia collected 30 votes, while Tennessee — historically one of the most decorated programs in women’s college basketball history — managed only nine.

Associated Press Top 25 women’s college basketball preseason poll

Team

1. South Carolina

2. UConn

3. USC

4. Duke

5. Michigan

6. Texas

7. Louisville

8. Vanderbilt

9. LSU

10. Iowa

11. UCLA

12. North Carolina

13. Notre Dame

14. Kentucky

15. TCU

16. Washington

17. Minnesota

18. Ohio State

19. Ole Miss

20. Maryland

21. Oklahoma

22. Oklahoma State

23. Illinois

24. West Virginia

25. NC State

Others receiving votes:

Nebraska 47, Arizona State 36, Baylor 31, Virginia 30, Michigan State 16, Kansas 12, Tennessee 9, Alabama 7, Syracuse 5, Villanova 5, Fairfield 2, Oregon 2, Rice 2, Georgia 2, Colorado 2, Virginia Tech 1, Clemson 1