Rutgers’ head coach Coquese Washington has observed significant growth within the Big Ten conference throughout her coaching career, which began at Penn State and now continues with the Scarlet Knights. Currently, her squad is facing a challenging segment of their schedule, with three consecutive matchups against top-10 teams, including contests against No. 8 Maryland and fourth-ranked USC this week. Recently, Rutgers suffered a defeat to No. 10 Ohio State.

After the setback against the Buckeyes, Washington commented, “This year presents the toughest challenges in terms of competitiveness in the conference that I’ve ever experienced. The level of talent has escalated, and it feels like there’s no easy game anymore.” The overall competitiveness of the Big Ten has intensified, especially with the inclusion of powerhouse programs like No. 1 UCLA and USC this season, further solidifying the conference’s reputation. Currently, the Big Ten boasts four teams ranked within the top 10 and seven in the top 25 overall.

According to Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico, the addition of USC and UCLA enhances the conference’s stature. “I always thought our league was extraordinary, but bringing in these teams and allowing our players to compete on the West Coast provides an excellent stage for them. This really elevates our conference to be considered the best in the country,” she noted following a recent defeat to USC. The No. 24 Wolverines are set to visit UCLA on Wednesday before hosting Ohio State on January 8.

Since joining the Big Ten in 2015, Maryland has claimed the regular-season championship six times, and coach Brenda Frese acknowledges the challenges that lie ahead. “This will be the most difficult conference schedule we’ve ever encountered,” she stated, expressing her commitment to reclaiming the title for the first time since 2021.

The Big Ten isn’t the only conference demonstrating high competitiveness this season, as the Southeastern Conference (SEC) also features four teams in the top 10, including No. 2 South Carolina, No. 5 Texas, No. 6 LSU, and ninth-ranked Oklahoma.

In terms of NET ratings, the NCAA’s weekly rankings, which play a crucial role in shaping the NCAA Tournament bracket, showed little change, with Texas maintaining its position at the top on Monday.

Looking ahead, Oklahoma faces a tough week, starting with a home game against Texas on Thursday, followed by a challenging road matchup against No. 15 Tennessee on Sunday.