Another busy week in women’s college basketball produced a poll that feels just as steady as it does volatile. At the top, nothing changed. Everywhere else, momentum, conference depth, and timing are starting to matter more by the day.
UConn Huskies continues to sit comfortably at No. 1 and remains the last undefeated team in Division I. The Huskies are now riding a 37-game winning streak dating back to last season, and they continue to pass every test placed in front of them. With February approaching, the conversation around UConn is no longer about whether they belong at the top, but who might be capable of pushing them when March arrives.
UCLA rises, South Carolina responds
The biggest movement near the top came at No. 2, where UCLA Bruins climbed after South Carolina suffered an overtime loss at Oklahoma. UCLA has quietly put together one of the most impressive stretches in the country, winning 13 straight games since its lone loss to Texas. The Bruins now look like the team everyone in the Big Ten is chasing.
South Carolina Gamecocks slid to No. 3, but the drop feels more procedural than concerning. Dawn Staley’s group responded to that setback by overpowering Vanderbilt at home, a reminder that the Gamecocks are still built to handle adversity. South Carolina remains one of the deepest, most physical teams in the country, and their resume still stacks up with anyone’s.
Texas Longhorns and Vanderbilt Commodores round out the top five. Vanderbilt took its first loss of the season at South Carolina but held firm in the rankings, which speaks to how strong the Commodores have been wire to wire.
The SEC sets the tone nationally
The defining storyline of this poll belongs to the Southeastern Conference. Ten SEC teams landed in the Top 25, the most ever by a single league in one week. LSU Tigers checks in at No. 6, while depth pieces throughout the conference continue to build separation from the rest of the country.
One of the more satisfying developments came at No. 23, where Georgia Lady Bulldogs returned to the rankings for the first time since 2022. Georgia opened the season 14-0 in non-conference play and already owns wins over Ole Miss and Kentucky. For a program that once lived in the Top 25, this feels like a meaningful step back toward national relevance.
Conference leaders still untouched
Several teams continue to roll without a blemish in league play. Tennessee Lady Volunteers sits atop the SEC standings, Iowa Hawkeyes control the Big Ten, Louisville Cardinals leads the ACC, and UConn remains perfect in the Big East. Those four teams are a combined 35-0 in conference games, an impressive snapshot of consistency as the calendar turns.
Big games to watch this week
The upcoming slate is loaded with games that could reshape the rankings. Tennessee heads to Connecticut for a high-profile meeting with UConn, a chance for the Lady Vols to test themselves against the sport’s gold standard. That game is set for Sunday.
Iowa travels west to face UCLA with first place in the Big Ten on the line, a matchup that feels like a preview of March intensity. South Carolina hits the road at Auburn, while Vanderbilt continues to navigate a brutal SEC schedule that offers no nights off.
Every one of those games carries ripple effects, not just in the poll, but in conference races and postseason positioning.
AP Top 25 Women’s Basketball Poll
Records through January 26, 2026
- UConn Huskies (21-0)
- UCLA Bruins (19-1)
- South Carolina Gamecocks (20-2)
- Texas Longhorns (19-2)
- Vanderbilt Commodores (20-1)
- LSU Tigers (18-2)
- Louisville Cardinals (19-3)
- Iowa Hawkeyes (18-2)
- Michigan Wolverines (17-3)
- Oklahoma Sooners (16-4)
- Ohio State Buckeyes (18-3)
- TCU Horned Frogs (19-2)
- Michigan State Spartans (18-2)
- Baylor Bears (18-3)
- Tennessee Lady Volunteers (14-3)
- Maryland Terrapins (17-4)
- Ole Miss Rebels (17-4)
- Kentucky Wildcats (17-5)
- Princeton Tigers (17-1)
- Duke Blue Devils (14-6)
- Texas Tech Lady Raiders (20-2)
- West Virginia Mountaineers (17-4)
- Georgia Lady Bulldogs (18-3)
- Alabama Crimson Tide (18-3)
- Washington Huskies (15-4)
The margins are shrinking, the schedules are tightening, and the games are starting to feel heavier. UConn still stands alone, the SEC is flexing unmatched depth, and the road to March is officially underway.