"Welcome to the first edition of ESPN's women's college basketball Power Rankings for 2025-26. For viewers and fans, early-season games are kind of like items at a garage sale: a few gems, several things of value and, frankly, some junk. But to players and coaches, it's all worthwhile as teams start to establish their identities. The top four teams in our initial rankings are the programs that went to the Final Four last season."
"Of that group, UCLA has the most impressive victory so far: 73-59 over fellow top-10 team Oklahoma on Monday. That game was in Sacramento, California, which will host one of the NCAA regionals this season, along with Fort Worth, Texas. The problems the Bruins caused the Sooners will be difficult for every UCLA opponent. The Bruins start five seniors who are all scoring threats, and their length on defense can be stifling."
"The defending national champions opened with a 13-point win over Louisville, followed by a 32-point victory against Florida State. Expect to see these names a lot in every recap of UConn success: Sarah Strong (21.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 4.5 APG) and Azzi Fudd (21.5 PPG and 4.0 APG). Transfers Kayleigh Heckel and Serah Williams are already making an impact, and KK Arnold might be ready for a breakout junior season."
Early-season results place last season's Final Four teams at the top of the 2025-26 women's college basketball landscape. UCLA earned a signature 73-59 win over Oklahoma in Sacramento, showcasing five senior starters who provide scoring and stifling defensive length. The defending national champions opened with consecutive decisive wins, led by Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, while transfers Kayleigh Heckel and Serah Williams have contributed and KK Arnold could break out. South Carolina started with wins over Grand Canyon, Bowling Green and Clemson and faces a challenging matchup against USC. Several high-profile November matchups will further define team identities.
Read at ESPN.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]