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After months of waiting, recruiting, and transfer portal moves, the anticipation is over because the 2026-27 women’s college basketball season is underway. So who are the best teams heading into this weekend? We aim to answer that question with our all-new women’s college basketball rankings for the 25 best programs in the nation right now.
Nebraska has gone in the wrong direction the last two years under coach Amy Williams. They hit a low point in 2025-26 by posting a 7-11 record in the Big Ten. They are hoping for a far better season this year with junior Britt Prince.
After three games, the results have been promising. While Prince is having her best season yet, a Cornhuskers defense giving up 41 points a night — sixth best in the nation — is why they have started the campaign 3-0.
Since taking over the program three years ago, West Virginia head coach Mark Kellogg has turned the Mountaineers into a prominent team in the Big 12. He hit a new high point last season when his team won 28 games — their most in a decade — and reached the tournament for a fourth straight year.
Led by Sklar Forbes, the Mountaineers have played well to begin the 2026-27 campaign.
Courtney Banghart has been hitting on all cylinders as head coach of North Carolina following the 2025-26 season. Her team won 28 or more games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the late 2000s, and is set to be a top team in the ACC again this season.
However, they have gotten off to a very bumpy 1-2 start to begin the new season. While they took a big drop in our new top-25, their losses did come against two ranked teams, including No. 1 South Carolina.
Maryland had another rock-solid season in 2025-26 as they won 24 games and made a sixth straight trip to the tournament. Although their offense won’t have Yarden Garzon this year, top scorer Oluchi Okananwa returns in 2026-27 to anchor the Terrapins offense.
Although they suffered a loss to No. 1 South Carolina to open the season, Maryland has shown a ton of upside with Okananwa off to a strong start and sophomore Addi Mack having a breakout year (25 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists) with an expanded role in 2026-27.
Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin had a rock-solid Ole Miss team last season as they posted 24 wins and extended their tournament appearance streak to five straight — which is their longest since the 1990s. The biggest question for the Rebels coach will be who fills the scoring and rebounding void left by the exits of seniors Cotie McMahon and Christeen Iwuala in the spring.
So far, guards Jaida Civil, Talaysia Cooper, Jada Richard have led the way on offense. Combining for close to 45 points a night for the Rebels. However, their defense that is giving up 43 points a night is why they are 3-0.
Coach Dawn Plitzuweit has done an outstanding job in her four seasons at Minnesota. Turning the program into one deserving of respect in the Big Ten after three straight 20-plus-win seasons and a trip to the tournament for the first time in eight years this spring.
Guard Grace Grocholski played a big role in that success and is delivering strong numbers again (19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists) in her senior year for the 3-0 Golden Gophers.
Coach Shauna Green has brought stability to the Illinois women’s basketball program since she took over in 2022. Leading her team to three 22-win campaigns and a trio of trips to the tournament during her four seasons. Green will be aiming to get her squad further than the second round this year and compete for a Big Ten title.
Led by forwards Cearah Parchment and Berry Wallace, the Fighting Illini have played well on offense, but have dominated on defense. Giving up just 39 points a game.
Since arriving before the 2022-23 season, coach Jacie Hoyt has turned Oklahoma State into a program that continues to make noise in the Big 12 and can post 20-plus-win years consistently. After reaching the second round of the tournament last season, they will be aiming for a deeper run next spring after shelling out big bucks to bring Iowa State scoring machine Audi Crooks to Stillwater.
While Crooks has not dominated like she did last season just yet, the Cowgirls have still gotten off to a 3-0 start as fellow transfer Liv McGill has picked up the slack. Leading the team in scoring (18) and is second in rebounds (7).
After a down season in 2023-24, Washington head coach Tina Langley has slowly developed the Huskies into a team on the rise in the Big Ten after a 22-win season that included the program’s first victory in the tournament in nearly a decade. Washington is aiming for another step forward in 2026-27 with top scorers Sayvia Sellers and Avery Howell back for the new campaign.
So far, so good. The duo is combining for nearly 40 points and just under 14 boards a night for the 2-0 Huskies.
Jaloni Cambridge became a top name in the Big Ten for an Ohio State team with a top-15 offense last season. While they lost Chance Gray to graduation, center Elsa Lemmila took some nice steps forward in her second season and has the talent to be a reliable No. 2 option behind their gifted top scorer.
That has been the case so far for the 3-0 Buckeyes. Cambridge is posting 20 points a game while the junior from Finland is averaging a near double-double (16 points and 9 rebounds) a night.
Seniors Marta Suarez, Olivia Miles, and a defense that was giving up 56.3 points a night were why TCU had a second-straight 30-plus win season for the first time in program history and reached the Elite 8 last season.
While their D hasn’t been as dominant as the previous campaign, they still have a top-20 unit. It has played a key role in why they have kicked off the season with a 4-0 record. Plus, some really good play from transfers Jadyn Wooten (14 points and 4 rebounds) and Lara Somfai (15 points and 9 rebounds).
Since coach Jennie Baranczyk arrived in 2021, Oklahoma has become one of the Big 12’s top teams. In 2025-26, the Sooners posted 26 wins and again reached the Sweet 16. With top scorer Aaliyah Chavez back in the new season, Oklahoma should extend their streak of tournament appearances.
While the veteran has played well, LeeLee Bell has starred so far for a 3-0 Sooners team that already owns a win over North Carolina and is among the 15 best scoring teams in the country. Bell leads the team in both scoring (20 points) and rebounds (10 rebounds).
Iowa head coach Jan Jensen has done a very good job of keeping her program at a high level in the post-Caitlin Clark era. Posting 27 wins last season. However, a second-straight year ending in the Round of 32 is not what Hawkeyes supporters expect.
Fortunately, top star Ava Heiden is back in the new season and is getting huge help from transfer Dani Carnegie (15 points and 5 boards PG) to begin the campaign. While they have one loss on their resume, it came to top-5 program UConn.
Year two for Kentucky head coach Kenny Brooks was another season with solid progress as the Wildcats had a 25-11 record and reached the Sweet 16 for the first time in a decade. A key reason why was center Clara Strack.
While the 2025-26 leading scorer is back this season, she has actually been outscored by Slovenian newcomer Ajsa Sivka, who is posting 17 points a night. They have played a big role in the Wildcats’ 4-0 start.
While Notre Dame took a bit of a step back during the 2025-26 regular season, they still reached the Elite 8 in March for the first time since 2019. The main reason why was the play of superstar guard Hannah Hidalgo.
The senior is back in 2026-27 and is unsurprisingly off to a fantastic start. The POTY contender is posting 27 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and an absurd 5 steals a night. However, the biggest difference from last season is Leah Macy being healthy. After missing her freshman season, she has been impressive thus far. Averaging 22 points and 8 rebounds a night.
Outside of a November loss to Texas, UCLA was outstanding on its journey to posting a 37-1 record and winning the program’s first National Championship last season. However, they lost a ton of talent, unsurprisingly, to the WNBA Draft. Coach Cori Close has a major challenge ahead in rebuilding her roster while also trying to keep the Bruins in title contention again this season.
So far so good for the 2-0 Bruins. A major reason for their unbeaten start is the play of Elina Aarnisalo and Sienna Betts in expanded roles in 2026-27.
Led by the nation’s top scorer, Mikayla Blakes (26.6 PPG), Vanderbilt was a top team in 2025-26. Winning 29 games and reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2009. The Commodores are set up to be a force again in the new campaign with Blakes back, as well as standout guard Aubrey Galvan.
To the surprise of no one, Blakes is again leading in scoring (22 PPG) for a Vanderbilt offense posting 104 PPG (fourth-best in the nation). It is a major cause of their 4-0 start this season.
Laura Ziegler and Taijiana Roberts led the way for Louisville last season, combining for over 23 points a night. They were why the Cardinals won 29 games and made it to the Sweet 16. While the program lost Ziegler to the WNBA, Roberts is back for the new campaign.
The Cardinals have gotten off to a strong 4-0 start because of four players posting double-digit points a night. However, the unsung hero is senior Amiya Joyner. The forward is averaging a near double-double (10 points and 9 rebounds) per game for Louisville.
Geno Auriemma’s 2025-26 UConn team was a dominant force. Winning 38 games (their most in a decade) and reaching the Final Four due to the efforts of senior guard Azzi Fudd and sophomore forward Sarah Strong. While the former took her talents to the WNBA, Strong — the 2026 POTY — is back in 2026-27.
The Huskies slip in our new college basketball rankings after a first-week loss to Michigan. However, they quickly bounced back from the setback with a dominant win over another top-10 team, Iowa.
While Kim Mulkey’s LSU team came up just short of a fourth straight season with 30 or more victories, they still had the No. 1 scoring team in the nation in 2025-26. Although Flau’Jae Johnson took her talents to the WNBA, Milaysia Fulwiley returns to give the Tigers a scoring anchor in her senior season.
Just like last year, the Tigers are the best offensive team in the nation to begin the season (120 PPG). However, what makes them a title contender is a defense that is giving up just 33 points a night (second-best in the country).
Vic Schaefer has turned Texas into a yearly powerhouse in the SEC, and the 2025-26 team posted over 30 wins for a third straight year and reached the Final Four for a second consecutive season. A major reason why was the impressive output of top star Madison Booker.
She’s back in 2026-27 and is again leading the scoring charge for the Longhorns. However, she is getting a lot of help from senior Breya Cunningham, who is having a breakout season in her second year with the 3-0 program (14 points and 8 rebounds a night).
Like the men’s team, Michigan’s women’s basketball program was among the nation’s elite scoring units last season, and it was due to a trio of guards all averaging 12 or more points a night. But the best of the bunch was uber-talented sophomore Olivia Olson, who returns for a title run in 2026-27.
Olson is leading the way (19 PPG) for a Wolverines offense posting 93 points a night. However, in an expanded role, junior Te’Yala Delfosse has taken a huge leap forward. Her 16 PPG is second, and her 7 boards a night lead the 2-0 program.
Duke head coach Kara Lawson has done a great job of turning the program into a powerhouse in the ACC over the last six years. Last season, the program won 27 games and made a second straight trip to the Elite 8. A major reason for the recent success in Durham is the performance of Toby Fournier.
The forward is back to lead what should be a formidable Blue Devils roster in 2026-27. However, she has been outshined so far by sophomores Arianna Roberson and Aaliyah Crump. The duo is combining for 24 points and 10 boards a night.
When top star Juju Watkins tore her ACL during the 2025 NCAA Tournament, fans knew the 2025-26 season was going to be a gap year for USC. However, the POTY contender is back healthy, and she is a major reason why big things are expected from the Trojans in year six for head coach Lindsay Gottlieb.
While they haven’t faced ranked competition yet, USC has looked outstanding to start the season — including Watkins (24 PPG). The 3-0 Trojans have dominated with an offense scoring the third most points in the country (107 PPG) and head into a big matchup with South Carolina next.
Dawn Staley had another elite South Carolina team during the 2025-26 campaign. While Ta’Niya Latson and Madina Okot played key roles, sophomore Joyce Edwards stole the show by leading the program in scoring and steals.
The junior is back in 2026-27 and is off to another strong start. Edwards is posting 19 points and 6 rebounds a night for a 2-0 Gamecocks team that already has a pair of wins over ranked opponents — Maryland and North Carolina.
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