UCLA reclaimed the top position in the women’s college basketball rankings on Monday after their victory over USC for the Big Ten title, reestablishing themselves at No. 1 after a brief stint away from the top spot. The Bruins, who had previously held the No. 1 ranking for 12 weeks before a setback against the Trojans in early February, received 16 first-place votes from a national panel, propelling them from fourth to first. This marks the second instance this season where UCLA has leaped in the rankings to claim the top spot, having surged past then-No. 1 South Carolina to achieve the top ranking prior to Thanksgiving.
In the Southeastern Conference, South Carolina ascended to No. 2, up from fifth, after defeating the previous No. 1, Texas, in the tournament championship game. The Gamecocks earned nine first-place votes. UConn maintained its position at No. 3 as they prepared to take on No. 22 Creighton for the Big East title later Monday night, also collecting seven first-place votes in the process.
Despite USC’s two regular-season victories over UCLA, they dropped two spots to fourth following their recent loss, while Texas slipped to fifth. TCU achieved its highest-ever ranking, moving up two spots to sixth, after their triumph over Baylor in the Big Ten championship—a title they last claimed in 2005 under Conference USA.
Duke made significant strides, moving up four places to No. 7 after defeating N.C. State to win the ACC championship, marking the Blue Devils’ first tournament title in 12 years and the highest they’ve been ranked since November 2014. Meanwhile, Notre Dame dropped to eighth, with N.C. State and LSU completing the top 10.
Among the major changes in the rankings, Mississippi entered at No. 25 after reaching the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, marking their return after being ranked for the first nine weeks of the season. Michigan State, on the other hand, fell out of the rankings altogether.
Notably, UTSA received a vote in the poll for the first time ever, ending their season with a school-record 26 wins, including a dominant 17-1 record in the American Athletic Conference. This success is further highlighted by the leadership of conference player of the year Jordyn Jenkins and head coach Karen Aston.
In terms of conference representation, the Southeastern Conference leads with eight ranked teams. Both the ACC and Big 12 feature five teams each, the Big Ten four, while the Big East has two, and the Summit League one. Looking ahead, with the conclusion of major conference tournaments, the spotlight shifts to mid-major championships, including those in the MAAC, NEC, and Ivy League, which are set to take center stage this weekend.
