UCLA has made history by becoming the new No. 1 team in the women’s basketball poll, as announced by The Associated Press. This achievement marks the first time the Bruins have reached the top spot in the rankings. Their remarkable victory on Sunday saw them defeat South Carolina, the reigning national champions, with a commanding score of 77-62. This win also ended UCLA’s previous struggles against No. 1 teams, which had included a disheartening 0-20 record. The game attracted a lively, star-studded audience, adding to the excitement.
UCLA’s coach, Cori Close, shared her thoughts on this milestone. “It’s incredibly meaningful for us to achieve something that has never happened in our school’s history, especially with so many alumni present to celebrate with us,” she commented upon the poll’s release. The alumni, who laid the groundwork for the program, were particularly special to have there for this moment.
Last week, UCLA was ranked fifth but jumped to the top with 20 first-place votes from the 32-member media panel. UConn secured the second spot, receiving nine first-place votes, after a week that saw their coach, Geno Auriemma, achieve a significant milestone by becoming the all-time victories leader in NCAA history.
Notre Dame, following a key victory over then-No. 3 USC, has risen to third place in the rankings, claiming the remaining three first-place votes. The latest poll saw only four teams maintain their positions from the previous week. South Carolina, unfortunately, fell to fourth after an end to their 43-game winning streak. Texas ranked fifth, while USC dropped to sixth place. The top ten concludes with LSU, Oklahoma, Kansas State, and Maryland. Additionally, Iowa State saw a decline, slipping from eighth to fifteenth after losing to Northern Iowa.
UCLA is now the 26th different university to achieve the No. 1 ranking since the inception of the women’s Top 25 poll in the 1976-77 season. Coach Close expressed gratitude, stating, “We aspire to be an elite basketball program, and being recognized as the 26th program to be a No. 1 team is an important milestone for us.”
In other notable news, Iowa has returned to the Top 25, re-entering the rankings at No. 22. Last season, the Hawkeyes reached as high as No. 2 with standout Caitlin Clark, who is currently making waves in the WNBA. This year, Iowa has remained unbeaten at 6-0, showcasing strong defensive skills by limiting four of their six opponents to under 60 points. Meanwhile, Baylor has been removed from the poll following a setback against Indiana.
Illinois has climbed to No. 19, marking its highest ranking since January 2000 when it was 13th. With South Carolina’s recent loss, Illinois now holds the longest active winning streak in the country with ten consecutive victories. They had a successful season last year, winning the inaugural WBIT, and they are off to a 5-0 start this year.
As for South Carolina, they had dominated the rankings, being No. 1 in 61 of the previous 62 polls, with the only exception being in the preseason Top 25 when LSU held the top position. The Gamecocks had just recently climbed back to No. 1 after an impressive rise from No. 6 in the previous poll, marking the largest leap to the top spot in the poll’s history. Prior to this, the last time they were not ranked first was March 15, 2021.
The loss to UCLA represented South Carolina’s biggest defeat since the 2019 Sweet 16 and their first road loss since December 2021. Coach Dawn Staley emphasized the need for her team to refocus. “Experiencing a loss will sharpen our focus for any future opponents,” she stated.
