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ESPN staffJan 5, 2026, 12:17 PM ET
The new AP Top 25 women’s college basketball poll is out.
And the first rankings of 2026 came with plenty of change after the LSU Tigers, Maryland Terrapins and Iowa State Cyclones all suffered their first losses of the season. Also shaking up the poll: The teams ranked Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 from the previous poll all lost in the last four days.
On Sunday, LSU lost for a second game in a row, tumbling seven spots to No. 12.
The Kentucky Wildcats (up five spots), Vanderbilt Commodores (up five) and Louisville Cardinals (up three) each moved up to break into the top 10.
What does it all mean for the AP Top 25? Let’s break down the rankings.
Stats courtesy of ESPN Research and The Associated Press.
All times Eastern
1. UConn Huskies
Previous ranking: 1
2025-26 record: 15-0
Stat to know: The Huskies are off to their best start since 2017-18, when they started 36-0 before losing in the Final Four.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. St. John’s, 7:30 p.m., truTV
1:17
UConn Huskies vs. Providence Friars: Game Highlights
UConn Huskies vs. Providence Friars: Game Highlights
2. Texas Longhorns
Previous ranking: 2
2025-26 record: 17-0
Stat to know: Madison Booker has scored at least 20 points in five of her last seven games.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Auburn, 8 p.m., SEC Network Plus
2:01
Madison Booker highlights key players behind Texas’ dominance
After a 67-64 win over Ole Miss, Booker explains how her teammates’ contributions free her to score and help the No. 2 Longhorns challenge opponents defensively.
3. South Carolina Gamecocks
Previous ranking: 3
2025-26 record: 15-1
Stat to know: Injured Ta’Niya Latson, the Gamecocks’ second-leading scorer, missed her second consecutive game Sunday. South Carolina committed a season-high 21 turnovers in the 74-63 victory over Florida.
What’s next: Thursday at Arkansas, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network Plus
1:23
Raven Johnson praises Gamecocks fight through adversity vs. UF
Johnson breaks down No. 3 South Carolina’s balanced contributions through challenges and explains how she limited Florida’s Liv McGill with her defensive approach.
4. UCLA Bruins
Previous ranking: 4
2025-26 record: 14-1
Stat to know: Five players are averaging double-digit scoring for the Bruins: Lauren Betts (16.3 PPG), Kiki Rice (15.3), Gianna Kneepkens (14.3), Gabriela Jaquez (14.1) and Angela Dugalic (10.3).
What’s next: Sunday at Nebraska, 7 p.m., Big Ten Network
5. Oklahoma Sooners
Previous ranking: 8
2025-26 record: 14-1
Stat to know: The Sooners’ 13-game winning streak is the second longest in program history.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Ole Miss, 7 p.m., SEC Network Plus
6. Kentucky Wildcats
Previous ranking: 11
2025-26 record: 15-1
Stat to know: After handing LSU its first loss on Jan. 1, the Wildcats beat Missouri on Sunday for their eighth consecutive victory.
What’s next:Thursday at Alabama, 7 p.m., SEC Network Plus
2:31
Teonni Key on Kentucky’s mentality vs. LSU: ‘We’re a good team too’
After posting 17 points and 16 rebounds in a road win over LSU, Key explains how the Wildcats’ effort and style of play fueled the victory.
7. Vanderbilt Commodores
Previous ranking: 12
2025-26 record: 15-0
Stat to know: Mikayla Blakes scored 32 points Sunday as the Commodores beat LSU 65-61 to give coach Shea Ralph her first win over a top-five program.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Missouri, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network Plus
8. Maryland Terrapins
Previous ranking: 7
2025-26 record: 15-1
Stat to know: Oluchi Okananwa scored a career-high 34 points in an 82-67 victory over Indiana on Sunday as Maryland rebounded from its first loss of the season.
What’s next: Thursday at Rutgers, 7 p.m., Big Ten Plus
9. Michigan Wolverines
Previous ranking: 6
2025-26 record: 11-2
Stat to know: The Wolverines suffered their second loss of the season 64-52 to Washington, on Jan. 1. They shot 33% in the defeat.
What’s next: Monday vs. Minnesota, 6:30 p.m., Big Ten Network
10. Louisville Cardinals
Previous ranking: 13
2025-26 record: 14-3
Stat to know: The Cardinals have won seven straight since losing to South Carolina in the ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge.
What’s next: Thursday at Miami, 3 p.m., ACC Extra
11. Iowa State Cyclones
Previous ranking: 10
2025-26 record: 14-1
Stat to know: After five consecutive games with at least 30 points, Audi Crooks finished with 26 — including only four in the second half — on Sunday as the Cyclones lost at home to Baylor. Jada Williams (28 points) was the only other Iowa State player who scored in double digits.
What’s next: ESPN+
12. LSU Tigers
Previous ranking: 5
2025-26 record: 14-2
Stat to know: The Tigers scored over 100 points in 11 of their first 14 contests — all wins — before losing back-to-back games, first to then-No. 11 Kentucky on Jan. 1 and against then-No. 12 Vanderbilt on Sunday. LSU was held to 61 points in Nashville.
What’s next: Thursday at Georgia, 6:30 p.m., SEC Network Plus
1:08
Kim Mulkey pleads to refs after late missed call dooms LSU
Kim Mulkey voices her displeasure to an official after Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes appears to step out of bounds late in the game.
13. TCU Horned Frogs
Previous ranking: 8
2025-26 record: 14-1
Stat to know: The Horned Frogs lost for the first time this season on Saturday, falling 87-77 in overtime to Utah. Olivia Miles had 31 points in the defeat.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Oklahoma State, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
14. Iowa Hawkeyes
Previous ranking: 14
2025-26 record: 12-2
Stat to know: Iowa beat then-No. 20 Nebraska to improve to 3-0 in the Big Ten, where only UCLA (4-0) has a better record.
What’s next: Monday at Northwestern, 8:30 p.m., Big Ten Network
15. Michigan State Spartans
Previous ranking: 24
2025-26 record: 14-1
Stat to know: The Spartans snapped Illinois’ 11-game winning streak on Sunday with an 81-75 victory.
What’s next: Thursday at Washington, 9 p.m., Big Ten Plus
16. Baylor Bears
Previous ranking: 22
2025-26 record: 13-3
Stat to know: The Bears knocked off previously unbeaten and then-No. 10 Iowa State on Sunday, beating the Cyclones in Ames.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Colorado, 8 p.m., ESPN+
0:28
Taliah Scott hits game winner for Baylor over Audi Crooks
Taliah Scott hits a game-winning shot as time winds down as No. 22 Baylor beats No. 10 Iowa State in Ames.
17. Texas Tech Lady Raiders
Previous ranking: 21
2025-26 record: 16-0
Stat to know: The Lady Raiders, the only unbeaten Big 12 team left, play West Virginia, the only other team unbeaten in conference play, this week.
What’s next: Wednesday at West Virginia. UCF, 7 p.m., ESPN+
18. Ole Miss Rebels
Previous ranking: 15
2025-26 record: 14-3
Stat to know: Despite playing Texas as well as anyone — Cotie McMahon scored 12 of her 19 points in the fourth quarter — the Rebels lost to the nation’s No. 2 team by three points Sunday.
What’s next: Thursday at Oklahoma, 7 p.m., SEC Network Plus
19. Ohio State Buckeyes
Previous ranking: 19
2025-26 record: 13-2
Stat to know: The Buckeyes have won 11 of their past 12 games, with the only loss coming against UCLA.
What’s next: Wednesday at Illinois, 7 p.m., Big Ten Network Plus
20. Tennessee Lady Vols
Previous ranking: 23
2025-26 record: 10-3
Stat to know: The Lady Vols committed a season-high 25 turnovers in Sunday’s 17-point victory over Auburn.
What’s next: Thursday at Mississippi State, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network Plus
21. USC Trojans
Previous ranking: 17
2025-26 record: 10-4
Stat to know: Freshman Jazzy Davidson leads the Trojans — who lost big at UCLA on Saturday — in scoring at 16.3 PPG.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Oregon, 10 p.m., Big Ten Plus
22. North Carolina Tar Heels
Previous ranking: 16
2025-26 record: 13-4
Stat to know: The Tar Heels lost in overtime to Stanford on Sunday after shooting 3-for-11 from the field in the fourth quarter and 1-for-5 in the extra period.
What’s next: Sunday at Notre Dame, 1 p.m., ESPN
23. Washington Huskies
Previous ranking: NR
2025-26 record: 12-2
Stat to know: The Huskies return to the poll as Notre Dame fell out.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Michigan State, 9 p.m., Big Ten Plus
24. Princeton Tigers
Previous ranking: 25
2025-26 record: 13-1
Stat to know: Princeton has won 11 consecutive games. The Tigers’ lone loss was Nov. 16 to then-No. 9 Maryland.
What’s next: Saturday at Yale, 2 p.m., ESPN+
25. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Previous ranking:20
2025-26 record: 13-2
Stat to know: The Cornhuskers dropped back-to-back Big Ten games (to USC and Iowa) before beating Purdue on Sunday.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Indiana, 8 p.m., Big Ten Plus
