UNC women’s basketball will start the 2026-27 season at No. 11 in the USA TODAY Sports coaches poll. 

Entering their eighth season under coach Courtney Banghart, the Tar Heels are headlined by highly-regarded freshman Kate Harpring around returners Reniya Kelly, Ciera Toomey and Nyla Brooks. In addition to Harpring, UNC added Oklahoma State transfer Achol Akot, Stanford transfer Chloe Clardy and Syracuse transfer Sophie Burrows to a reloaded roster. 

Following consecutive Sweet 16 appearances, UNC was picked to finish third in the ACC preseason poll behind Duke and Louisville. The Blue Devils are No. 4 in the coaches poll, with the Cardinals coming in at No. 7. Notre Dame (No. 13) and N.C. State (No. 25) round out the five ACC teams in the preseason poll. 

Women's college basketball rankings, Oct. 20

Here's a look at UNC women’s basketball ranking as of Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2025.

USA TODAY Sports women’s basketball poll 

The USA TODAY Sports Top 25 women's basketball poll is made up of 31 head coaches at Division I institutions. First-place votes in parentheses.

• 1. South Carolina (26)

• 2. UConn (6)

• 3. Southern California 

• 4. Duke 

• 5. Michigan 

• 6. Texas 

• 7. Louisville

• 8. LSU 

• 9. Vanderbilt 

• 10. Iowa

• 11. UNC

• 12. UCLA

• 13. Notre Dame 

• 14. Kentucky

• 15. Washington 

• 16. TCU

• 17. Maryland 

• 18. Minnesota

• 19. Oklahoma State

• 20. Ohio State

• 21. Oklahoma

• 22. Illinois

• 23. Mississippi

• 24. West Virginia 

• 25. N.C. State