For the fourth straight season, LSU women's basketball is opening the season as a top-10 team in the rankings.

Kim Mulkey and the Tigers enter the 2026-27 season with high expectations yet again. Earlier this offseason, LSU was predicted to finish third in a stacked Southeastern Conference behind Dawn Staley and South Carolina as well as the Texas Longhorns.

The Tigers lost its biggest star from last year's team in Flau'jae Johnson but does return two of the more prolific scorers of the basketball in senior guards Mikaylah Williams and MiLaysia Fulwiley. Sophomores Grace Knox and ZaKiyah Johnson earned a ton of playing time and experience last season and will be heavy contributors, likely starters for this season's team.

Mulkey and her revamped coaching staff went out and added point guard Jada Williams from Iowa State as well as signed a couple of international players to fill holes in Spaniard Noa Morro and 17-year-old Russian center Anna Minaeva.

Kim Mulkey, LSU women's basketball in rankings, preseason

LSU, coming off a heartbreaking Sweet 16 exit to Duke in Sacramento, California last season, opens the 2026-27 campaign ranked No. 8 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll.

And according to the preseason polls, this appears to the toughest schedule the Tigers will play under Mulkey so far as they will meet five of the top 11 teams in preseason coaches polls (South Carolina, UConn, Texas, Vanderbilt and North Carolina).

In total, LSU will face eight preseason top 25 squads this year.

USA TODAY Coaches Polls: Preseason

1. South Carolina (26)

2. UConn (6)

3. USC

4. Duke

5. Michigan

6. Texas

7. Louisville

8. Vanderbilt

9. Iowa

10. North Carolina

11. UCLA

12. Notre Dame

13. Kentucky

14. Washington

15. TCU

16. Maryland

17. Minnesota

18. Oklahoma State

19. Ohio State

20. Oklahoma

21. Illinois

22. Ole Miss

23. West Virginia

24. North Carolina State