The connection between sports and music has transcended time. Our favorite songs serve as the background to game highlights, and hype tunes fill arenas and stadiums. University bands lead us in fight songs that are ingrained in our bones while the National Anthem can give you goosebumps before the game even starts. You would be hard pressed to find an athlete who is not wired to a personal playlist of songs before they compete. But the junction of these two things is not just the final product. It is also about what happens at the beginning.
Building an orchestra to create and perform beautiful music is just like crafting a basketball team that can achieve success. A conductor will tell you that it takes different instruments played by multiple people to blend for the perfect sound. Basketball coaches are meticulously working to find the right players with specific skill sets to complement each other on the floor. Both are courting highly touted recruits and transfers with promises of first-chair placement or a hefty revenue sharing check. Then they must find and keep the diamond-in-the-rough talent in the hopes that an elite program or philharmonic will not poach them for future fame and fortune. Experience knows no limits on stage or on the court — veteran leadership is essential to winning games and creating show-stopping performances.
The upcoming college basketball season is set to play out like an orchestra concert. We will start with the opening concerto, with teams that are blending their talents early in the season. The longer pieces will be stretches where we see if re-built rosters and returning superstars have what it takes to make a run to March. Short intermissions can be managed by coaches, but if you want to get to the encore and solidify your seat at the Final Four, you cannot afford moments when the team is off-key.
Welcome to our 2026-27 Top 25 preview at The IX Sports, where we listen intently for the perfect sound that can lead to wins on the court and create a masterpiece of a season.
Statistics cited in this preview are obtained from schools and conferences.
No. 1 South Carolina
For the past several years, we have lived by the hard and fast rule that to be the best, you must beat the best and therefore, the reigning national champions take first chair in our Top 25 preview. But just as musical notes on a page become fluid sounds when played, rosters in college basketball today rarely look anything alike from one year to the next. Is it a stretch to say that a team that was in the 2026 Final Four is the one we place in the top spot to start this season? Hardly, because we believe the harmony in Columbia, S.C. is right in tune.
South Carolina was 36-4 last season and one win away from their fourth national title. It was that 28-point loss to UCLA in the national championship game that will be the fuel to the fire for a loaded Gamecocks squad this year. After a sensational sophomore season as South Carolina’s top scorer (19.2 points per game), 6’3 forward Joyce Edwards returns for her junior campaign. Head coach Dawn Staley has one of the most consistent guards in the nation anchoring her backcourt in senior Tessa Johnson (12.8 points per game and 45% from three) and will welcome back two fifth-year talents in the frontcourt from injury — forwards Ashlyn Watkins and Chloe Kitts.
Staley also inked the No. 2 ranked recruiting class (per ESPN.com), highlighted by the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked players in the 2026 class — 6’3 forward Oliviyah Edwards and 6′ guard Jerzy Robinson. Texas transfer Jordan Lee will give Staley another veteran guard, bringing speed and scoring to the perimeter.
The first notes of this season’s masterpiece begin in Paris, where the Gamecocks will meet Maryland on Nov. 2. November will be stacked with non-conference tests against the likes of North Carolina, USC, Clemson and UConn. December is just as tough with the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas before SEC play tips off against Alabama on Dec. 31.
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No. 2 UConn
The past two seasons, the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft has been a UConn Huskie. Azzi Fudd will no longer be in the backcourt for head coach Geno Auriemma, but with the returning depth he has in Storrs, the Huskies may not miss a beat. 6’2 junior forward Sarah Strong, the 2026 Naismith Player of the Year, returns after averaging 18.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game a year ago. Senior guards KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade each started 38 games last season and will be called upon to giving stability to the UConn backcourt.
Junior Kayleigh Heckel came off the bench in every game last year but dished out over 100 assists. 6’2 forward Blanca Quiñonez (10.7 points per game), the 2026 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, is poised to have even bigger role next to Strong this season. Freshman Olivia Vukosa, the 2026 Gatorade National Player of the Year, is not your typical newbie on the roster. The 6’5 center from Whitestone, N.Y. has multiple years of FIBA summer experience playing for Croatia and will give the Huskies a versatile post option.
Auriemma knows that to ready his Huskie squad for another run to the Final Four, they need a treacherous non-conference schedule in the first two months of the season. A 10-day stretch to start November has UConn slated as an honorary member of the Big Ten with consecutive games against Michigan, Iowa and Ohio State and then at Louisville out of the ACC. They will face South Carolina and Duke over Thanksgiving and then tussle with Maryland, Notre Dame and Tennessee before the New Year. When the BIG EAST schedule tips off, we will know a lot more about this Huskie harmony.
No. 3 Texas
The names on the roster may be different, but the team that hits the floor on the Forty Acres will be ready to defend, rebound and run. Texas is coming off back-to-back Final Four appearances and three consecutive 30+ win seasons. To compete for an SEC title and make a deep run again in the NCAA Tournament, head coach Vic Schaefer knows that having one of the best players in the nation at his disposal can solve many problems. Senior All-American Madison Booker, the reigning Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year, averaged 18.9 points per game and shot over 85% from the free throw line last season. Booker’s offensive game has always had a deadly mid-range jumper, but her ability to get to the rim and beat teams from deep now makes her so difficult to stop.
Junior guard Bryanna Preston will be called upon for a bigger role in the backcourt and 6’4 senior Breya Cunningham returns to lock down the paint for the top defensive team in the SEC a season ago (55.7 points allowed per game). With no Rori Harmon running the show for the first time in five seasons, eight newcomers will need to have an impact. Australian Jayda Clark was a late arrival in Austin but the 6′ guard has WNBL professional league experience the past two seasons and brings a scoring punch.
Schaefer and his staff signed the No. 3 recruiting class (per ESPN.com), which includes five players all ranked in the Top 50 in the 2026 class. 6’2 freshman Addison Bjorn is a versatile wing that can thrive in Schaefer’s system, especially with her athleticism on the defensive end. Fellow freshmen Brihanna Crittendon will be a stretch wing at 6’3 and point guard Lizzy Spaight, the two-time Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year, may very well be the replacement for Harmon the Longhorns need.
Texas could answer many questions after two early exhibition games against UConn and UCLA. Matchups in the non-conference against Ohio State, TCU and Louisville will prepare them for the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas in December before SEC play tips off on the road Dec. 31 at Georgia.
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No. 4 USC
When star players go down, it is like missing the lead violinist in the orchestra. We look for them, listen for the sound and then realize the tune will be very different until they come back. For the 2026-27 season, USC fans are belting “Fight On”, the Trojans’ anthem at their top of their lungs because their homegrown generational talent is back. JuJu Watkins returns for her third season on the court after suffering an ACL injury during the 2025 NCAA Tournament. She was the consensus player of the year in 2025, and all signs point to her game being in tune when the season tips off.
Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb will have two of her top three scorers back from last year’s 18-14 squad to join Watkins. 6’1 guard Jazzy Davidson, the 2026 National and Big Ten Freshman of the Year (17.9 points per game and over 100 assists) and 6’1 junior Kennedy Smith (11.5 points per game) are matchup problems for any opponent.
Gottlieb and her staff attacked the recruiting trail to bring in the No. 1 ranked class (per ESPN.com), highlighted by 6’1 guard Saniyah Hall, the No. 1 player in the Class of 2026. The Lorain, Ohio native is the full package, known to be able to score anywhere on the court and as a relentless offensive rebounder. Two 6’4 freshman forwards, Sara Okeke of Spain and Sitaya Fagan of Australia, arrive in the City of Angels with heavy international experience and the ability to get up and down the floor to score and defend.
Fans everywhere will be clamoring for their first glimpse of Watkins back on the floor when the Trojans tip off the season Nov. 2 at UNLV. Early non-conference tests against South Carolina and Baylor, along with a return trip to Las Vegas in December for the Player Eras Championship will get USC ready for the grind of the Big Ten.
No. 5 Michigan
Records are essentially made to be tied, broken or heard. Last season, Michigan put up numbers that showed they belong on the national stage. The Wolverines appeared in the Elite Eight for the second straight season and achieved the highest NCAA Tournament seed in program history (No. 2). They had a record-tying 28 wins overall and established a new program record of 15 Big Ten victories. Head coach Kim Barnes Arico is building her program into a national contender and doing it in this crazy world of college basketball by keeping quality talent in Ann Arbor.
Barnes Arico has three top scorers return from last season, all of whom are now experienced juniors. Olivia Olson (18.9 points per) and Syla Swords (14.6 points per game) were first team All-Big Ten selections, while Olson also earned All-American honors. 5’10 guard Mila Holloway dished out 167 assists while starting all 35 games as a sophomore and added 12.3 points per game. 6’3 senior Ashley Sofilkanich returns after starting every game as a junior and shooting 54% from the field.
Depth is always a concern when you battle in the trenches of the Big Ten. Barnes Arico added Stanford transfer guard Courtney Ogden, who averaged just shy of 13 points per game last year in Palo Alto. The Wolverines bring in a top 25 recruiting class (per ESPN.com) to bolster the roster, including 6’5 freshman Fope Ayo, the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year.
The quest for a first-ever regular season and/or conference tournament title in program history begins in earnest when Michigan welcomes UConn to the Crisler Center on Nov. 5. Other non-conference tests include three games at the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship in the Bahamas and then a tussle with Oklahoma at the Champions Classic in December. The biggest question is what record can drop this year during the 2026-27 season?
No. 6 Duke
Head coach Kara Lawson brought back a FIBA World Cup championship this fall as head coach of USA Basketball Women’s National Team, and now it is “go” time in Durham for the 2026-27 season. The Blue Devils are coming off a trip to the Elite Eight after claiming both the ACC regular season and conference tournament titles in 2026. Lawson has a core group of talent returning, led by junior Toby Fournier. The 6’2 forward averaged 17.3 points per game as a sophomore on her way to first team All-ACC and All-Defensive Team selections. She also led the Blue Devils in rebounding at just under eight per game.
Senior forward Delaney Thomas is back (6.2 boards per game) along with 6’2 guard Riley Nelson, Duke’s top returning three-point threat (34% last season). After only playing in three games last season before being sidelined with an injury, talented redshirt freshman Emilee Skinner returns. A big addition out of the portal is Texas transfer Aaliyah Crump. If the 6’1 sophomore can stay healthy, she will bolster the Blue Devils perimeter shooting and then some. Lawson also is bringing the No. 4 ranked recruiting class (per ESPN.com) to Durham.
The first major test for Duke will be Nov. 28 against UConn in Boston and then the ACC/SEC Challenge matchup against South Carolina on Dec. 3. We will know a lot about this version of Lawson’s team on Dec. 4.
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No. 7 UCLA
The run that UCLA made to the claim the program’s first national title last season was a masterclass by head coach Cori Close. She built an experienced roster of star talent and role players that bought into the program’s culture and identity. With the top six scorers gone from that title team — all drafted to the WNBA in April — it is a reload in Westwood for the 2026-27 season.
The Bruins will build this team around 6’4 sophomore post Sienna Betts, who has the tools to be an impact player this season. 6’3 forward Timea Gardiner is back after a medical redshirt last year and then Close and her staff went hard into the transfer portal. Junior guard Elina Aarnisalo returns to UCLA after spending last season at North Carolina — she started 10 games as a freshman for Close two years ago. Fellow transfers Addy Brown (Iowa State), Donovyn Hunter (TCU), KK Bransford (Notre Dame) and Bonnie Deas (Arkansas) will all be asked to make significant impacts.
Even with an overhauled roster, the draw of being the national champions is real — the Bruins will face a difficult schedule before they get into the teeth of the Big Ten. Tests against Princeton, Tennessee and Duke dot the calendar and then the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas against South Carolina and Texas in December. Even if the Bruins stumble early, do not be alarmed — Close knows what it takes to build a winning team that is made for March.
No. 8 Louisville
Head coach Jeff Walz has always been able to strike the right pitch for his program when balancing the players that transfer in and out each year. The 2026-27 season finds the Cardinals with four of their top five scorers returning and bodes well for a strong run in the ACC and beyond. Junior guard Tajianna Roberts, a first team All-ACC selection, led Louisville last season at 11.5 points per game and was their top 3-point threat. 6’3 senior Elif Istanbulluoglu (10.1 points and 5.1 boards per game) and junior forward Mackenly Randolph also return along with ACC Sixth Player of the Year, Imari Berry. Berry led the Cardinals in steals and added 10.9 points per game.
Walz snagged impact transfers out of the portal in Zamareya Jones (NC State), Amiya Joyner (LSU) and Deniya Prawl (Tennessee) and a top 20 recruiting class also lands in Louisville (per ESPN.com). The real sound check will be when the Cardinals line up against the likes of UConn (Nov. 15), Texas (Dec. 2) and Kentucky (Dec. 9) to name a few before coast-hopping begins in the ACC regular season.
No. 9 Vanderbilt
It has been a steady rise in just a short time for the Commodores in both the SEC and the national conversation. Head coach Shea Ralph, the 2026 Naismith Coach of the Year, led her team to a 29-5 record and a trip to the Sweet 16 in just her fifth season last year. The 2026-27 edition of the ‘Dores returns one of the best backcourts in the country with junior Mikayla Blakes and sophomore Aubrey Galvan. Blakes, the reigning SEC Player of the Year, was the top scorer in the nation at 27 points per game. Galvan was named SEC Freshman of the Year after she averaged over 13 points per game and led all NCAA freshmen in assists (193) and assists per game (5.7).
Ralph brings in two experienced transfers that can add depth and scoring — 6’3 forward Mia Woolfolk (Georgia) and 6′ junior Vernell Atamah, the 2026 Southland Conference Player of the Year out of Northwestern State. They also have the No. 11 ranked recruiting class (per ESPN.com) landing in Nashville, headlined by 5’11 guard Olivia Jones, the No. 16 player in the class of 2026. Vandy will truly anchor down at home for most of the non-conference slate — 10 home games and a neutral site matchup against Belmont in downtown Nashville will get this squad tuned up for a run in the SEC.
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No. 10 LSU
If the notes on the page blend speed and athleticism with playmakers and rim protection, then Kim Mulkey could very well have a stellar harmony set for 2026-27 season. Graduation meant that Flau’Jae Johnson’s career came to an end in Baton Rouge, but two of the Tigers’ top three scorers return. Senior Mikaylah Williams (14.2 points per game) started every game a season ago and averaged over 28 minutes per game. Williams also led LSU with 127 assists on the year. Fellow senior guard MiLaysia Fulwiley (14.6 points per game) was an explosive part of LSU’s offense, which set a SEC record at 95 points per game.
Replacing Johnson is no easy task, but Iowa State transfer Jada Williams could be the spark Mulkey needs at the point position. 6′ guard Laila Reynolds lands with the Tigers after three seasons at Florida, where she averaged over 12 points per game last season. Look for 6’3 sophomore Grace Knox (11 starts and 8.8 points per game) to be an even bigger presence in the paint. 6’5 freshman Anna Minaeva from Russia arrived late to the Bayou, but is skilled with size to control the lane on both ends.
Mulkey will carefully craft the Tigers’ melody with the first seven games at home to start the season and then look to the ACC/SEC Challenge at North Carolina as a major test. The Tigers take on UConn in Nashville on Dec. 20 and then tip off SEC action on New Year’s Eve at Auburn. We will see if the resolutions come with dance music in 2027.
No. 11 Maryland
While injuries are devastating for athletes and their teams, coaches always say that no one feels sorry for them when the injury bug strikes their program. Head coach Brenda Frese is ‘example A’ of that thought process, because at some point, it happens to everyone. Maryland is moving at a quicker rhythm heading into the 2026-27 season with the return of 5’10 guard Bri McDaniel and redshirt freshman guard Lea Bartelme, both back from ACL injuries. They will add depth to a core group of returners, which includes last year’s leading scorer Oluchi Okananwa (17.8 points per game), a first team All-Big Ten selection. 5’9 guard Addi Mack had a solid freshman campaign, starting 26 games and averaging 11 points a contest on her way to picking up a spot on the All-Big Ten Freshman team.
The Terrapins are adding size and scoring with the No. 7 recruiting class (per ESPN.com) coming to College Park. A pair of top 15 guards in the class of 2026 headline the group, both of whom are 6’1 and can score — Jordyn Jackson from Virginia and Trinity Jones from Illinois. The passports are ready to be stamped right from the first note with a big test on Nov. 2 in Paris against South Carolina. After a Dec. 5 matchup against UConn, Big Ten action tips off when Frese and company host Michigan on Dec. 11.
No. 12 North Carolina
Consistency has been the name of the game in Chapel Hill, resulting in over 25 wins the past 3 seasons and back-to-back Sweet 16 runs. Head coach Courtney Banghart returns nine players from last year’s squad that went 28-8 and now has sprinkled some transfers and big-time recruits into the mix for a new sound this year. 6’4 forward Ciera Toomey posted 15 double-figure games last season and is UNC’s top returning rebounder (6.2 boards per game). 6’1 guard Nyla Brooks is hoping to transfer a fantastic freshman season into a super sophomore one. The Waldorf, Md. native was an All-ACC Freshman team selection after averaging 8.6 points per game and knocking down 63 three’s, the most by a UNC freshman in 10 seasons.
Senior guard Reniya Kelly returns after missing the latter part of last year due to injury, bringing versatility and playmaking to Banghart’s backcourt. Transfer guards Gabby White (Virginia), Chloe Clardy (Stanford) and Sophie Burrows (Syracuse) will be part of the rotation and Tar Heel fans cannot wait to see freshman sensation Kate Harpring in action. The 5’10 guard from Atlanta was named the Naismith High School Girls’ Player of the Year. She is a physical scorer that is difficult to stop off the bounce and can shoot it from anywhere.
Their non-conference schedule is grueling, starting with Oklahoma in Paris on Nov. 2 and then a tussle with South Carolina six days later. Their ACC/SEC Challenge game against LSU is in early December right before ACC play tips off against in-state rival NC State on Dec. 13.
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No. 13 Iowa
Winning has become the show tune Hawkeye fans love to sing over the past several years. Eight consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament and 10-straight 20+ win seasons, including a 27-7 mark last year, has Iowa ready for another run of victory songs. Head coach Jan Jensen returns three of her top five scorers from a season ago, including junior post Ava Heiden. The 6’4 native of Sherwood, Ore. posted 18 points per game last year and shot 64% from the field. Her size and ability to finish was a problem for opponents, earning her a spot on the All-Big Ten first team.
Junior Chazadi Wright stepped into the point guard position last season and delivered for Iowa. The 5’4 guard not only led the team in assists, but chipped in 12.5 points per game and logged over 34 minutes per game on the floor. Junior Taylor Stremlow made 18 starts last year and is a 3-point threat on the perimeter. Jensen snagged a highly touted transfer out of the portal in guard Dani Carnegie, who was a unanimous First Team All-SEC selection at Georgia last season. The Hawkeye faithful are ready to get their eyes on the next big talent to land in Iowa City — 6’2 freshman forward McKenna Woliczko. The San Bruno, Calif. native is the No. 6 player in the class of 2026 (per ESPN.com) and the second-highest rated recruit in program history. She plays with high energy and intensity and can score in multiple ways.
The non-conference slate starts with a bang at UConn on Nov. 8 and a neutral site matchup with Vanderbilt seven days later. Interstate games against UNI, Drake and Iowa State dot the early weeks of the calendar with Big Ten action tipping off against Nebraska on Dec. 5.
No. 14 Kentucky
Coming off Kentucky’s first Sweet 16 appearance in a decade, head coach Kenny Brooks and the Wildcats are looking to hit the perfect notes in the 2026-27 season. How do you replace four WNBA draft picks? It helps when you can rely on an All-American post player to anchor you on both ends of the floor. 6’4 senior Clara Strack averaged a double-double last season (16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game) and blocked over 90 shots for the Wildcat defense. Senior guard Asia Boone started 19 games a year ago, posting 10.1 points per game and knocked down 96 three pointers.
Brooks and company went hard into the portal for talent and secured the No. 6 ranked high school recruiting class (per ESPN.com). 6’5 junior Me’Arah O’Neal (Florida), 5’10 senior Diana Collins (Alabama) and 6’2 forward Ayanna Patterson (UConn) all add depth to the roster. A familiar name also joins the squad out of the portal that is all too familiar with Brooks and his style — Jemma Amoore, younger sister of Georgia Amoore, who transfers in from IU-Indianapolis. The freshmen class has three talents all ranked in the top 25 in the class of 2026, with super-scoring point guard Maddyn Greenway of Minnesota as one to watch.
Early tests include NC State and then Clemson in the ACC/SEC Challenge. We love interstate rivalries and the Dec. 9 battle at home against Louisville will be one tough ticket. SEC play starts Dec. 31 at Florida.
No. 15 Notre Dame
There is no lack of star power amongst the teams on this list and one of the brightest in the game sits first chair in South Bend, Ind. Hannah Hidalgo has been a human highlight reel in her first three years at Notre Dame and is looking for her final season to have another deep run in March. The 5’7 All-American guard averaged 25.3 points per game and dished out over 180 assists last year. She also racked up 202 steals on her way to being named the 2026 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
Graduation and the transfer portal took a toll on head coach Niele Ivey’s roster, but the reload for the Irish contains a lot of weapons. 6’2 sophomore Lea Macy, a top 20 player out of the class of 2025, missed all last year with an injury and will be back. Ivey landed Princeton transfer Madison St. Rose, a dynamic playmaking guard that can complement Hidalgo in the backcourt. 6’2 forward Anaya Hardy arrives after making 27 starts a season ago at Louisville and is known as a tenacious rebounder. Notre Dame needed to boost their frontcourt, and it gets a lift with the fifth-ranked recruiting class in the country (per ESPN.com). Four of the seven freshmen arriving in South Bend measure at 6’2 or above. Dallas native Jacy Abii, the No. 9 overall recruit in the class of 2026, has elite passing and shooting skills, making her a matchup problem on the wing.
Notre Dame will face their first big tests when their toes hit the sand at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas over Thanksgiving. Then they will have the ACC/SEC Challenge against Vanderbilt, followed by a matchup with UConn at home on Dec. 9. Early conference games will be where we find out if the melodies are blending for the Irish.
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No. 16 Oklahoma
When the opening sounds of “Boomer Sooner” hit your ears, you know something good has happened in Norman. Winning has been the good thing when it comes to OU women’s basketball as of late, as they’ve captured at least 25 victories four of the last five seasons. Head coach Jennie Baranczyk has led her program to two consecutive Sweet 16 appearances, and the Sooners are aiming for more. Super sophomore guard Aaliyah Chavez had a monster freshman season, being named the 2026 ESPN Freshman of the Year and leading OU in scoring (18.4 per game), minutes played (32.3 a game) and assists (143). 5’11 forward Sahara Williams is back for her senior season after starting every game a year ago and averaging a career high across her stat line, including posting 12.4 points and 7.9 boards per game.
The Sooners were second in the SEC in scoring last season (85.9 per game) and need fresh blood to play fast and rack up the possessions. Portal talent has landed with sophomore sharpshooter Jordan Speiser (K-State), 6’3 center Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu (Maryland), Sa’Myah Smith (Virginia) and 5’11 guard Keeley Parks (Kansas). OU also landed the No. 21 ranked recruiting class for 2026 (per ESPN.com), which is full of scorers and playmakers. 6’3 forward LeeLee Bell is a three-time North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year and known as a versatile scorer with size and strength.
The schedule starts with a boom against North Carolina in Paris on Nov. 2 and then matchups with Syracuse and Michigan before a Bedlam showdown with Oklahoma State in Oklahoma City on Dec. 12. SEC action tips off on New Year’s Eve on the road at Mississippi.
No. 17 NC State
Life in the ACC is not easy, but coaches will tell you it prepares you for what comes in March. The Wolfpack went 21-11 last season, lining up against tough non-conference foes and finishing 13-5 in conference play. Head coach Wes Moore welcomes back three of his top five scorers from a season ago and has NC State ready for big songs on big stages. 6’2 senior Khamil Pierre averaged a double-double last season (16.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game) on her way to an All-ACC First Team selection. 5’10 guard Zoe Brooks has been one of the most consistent guards in the ACC, posting 16 points per game and dishing out over 130 assists last season as a junior. 6′ guard Qadence Samuels started 28 contests last season and gives Moore a perimeter threat.
A handful of transfers will add depth for the Wolfpack, including forward Khady Leye (Auburn), guard Desiree Wooten (Colorado) and guard Audrey Ericksen (Boston). Moore inked a top 25 recruiting class (per ESPN.com), with two top 100 players in the 2026 class to add size to the mix — 6’2 guard Kamora Pruitt and 6’3 forward Annsley Trivette. An early test against Kentucky on Nov. 9 and then games against LSU and Mississippi lead up to the conference opener in Chapel Hill with UNC. A big rivalry game is the crescendo we want to kick start the ACC grind.
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No. 18 Illinois
Conductors and coaches know that experience sitting in the chairs in front of you is a luxury item these days. For head coach Shauna Green, her luxury item is four of five starters returning from a 22-12 season in 2025-26 and their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. 6’1 forward Berry Wallace was a unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection after averaging 18.4 points and 6.2 boards per game as sophomore. The Ohio native also played ironwoman minutes at just under 36 per game last season. 6’3 forward Cearah Parchment started every game as a freshman, leading the team in rebounding and blocks and dropping 13.2 points a contest last season.
Guard Destiny Jackson also started all 34 games last year as a freshman and dished out 176 assists in her first season in Champaign. She joined Parchment on the All-Big Ten Freshmen Team. Senior Jasmine Brown-Hagger returns as the fourth starter from last season and guard Aaliyah Guyton will likely see a bigger role this season after transferring last year from Iowa. The expectations are high at Illinois for Green, but she has the support of the administration which signed her to a contract extension in September. Now the real work begins as they get set for tests at the Baha Mar Hoops Championship in the Bahamas before Big Ten play begins. Their first conference game is on the road at Wisconsin on Dec. 5.
No. 19 Oklahoma State
The past several years have shown us that you can swing big in the transfer portal and hit the right notes, but you better then be able to put the entire song together. The 2026-27 Cowgirl roster has just one returner from a season ago, but for head coach Jacie Hoyt, you could not ask for a better veteran to build around. 5’11 guard Stailee Heard has spent her entire career in Stillwater and is poised for a stellar senior year. The Sapulpa, Okla. native averaged 11.9 points and 5.8 boards per game on her way to second team All-Big 12 honors.
Hoyt and her staff went all in on a transfer class of nine, including what were seen as the top two players in the portal. 6’3 All-American center Audi Crooks tore up the record books in her three seasons at Iowa State and now will be the center point of OSU’s game plan. Junior guard Liv McGill (Florida) scored over 1,000 points in just two seasons with the Gators and was a First-Team All-SEC selection as a sophomore. Backcourt additions include sophomore LA Sneed (Utah), junior Zoe Canfield (Missouri State), Callin Hake (Nebraska) and senior sharpshooter Ellie Brueggemann (Lindenwood). Size and versatility comes from 6’2 junior Yuting Deng from Baylor, 6’1 senior Nene Ndiaye from Rutgers and the Division II Player of the Year from Fort Hays State (KS), 6′ senior Talexa Weeter.
A lot of eyes will be on this rebuilt Cowgirl roster for Hoyt and her staff to deliver, especially after she received a contract extension in late September. Tough non-conference tests include at South Dakota State and Washington in November before traveling to South Carolina on Dec. 6. Their interstate matchup against Oklahoma will be on Dec. 12 in Oklahoma City and then Big 12 action tips off at Kansas on Dec. 20. When will we know if the full song is coming together? We think mid-December will be a good time to check for the right notes.
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No. 20 Minnesota
Conductors have a way sometimes of rewriting music into a new rendition or arrangement for a specific performance. History can also rewrite itself when the right chords are struck and a basketball program finds sustained success. Dawn Plitzuweit has been at the helm of the Minnesota program for three years, and the Golden Gophers have reached the 20-win mark in all three. Last season, they had their best season in over 20 years, finishing 24-9 with a run to the Sweet 16, where they fell to eventual national champion, UCLA. Expectations are rising in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and it seems as though the 2026-27 squad could very well exceed them.
Plitzuweit’s top three scorers return, including junior Tori McKinney (12.4 points per game) and fifth-year guard Mara Braun (11.7 points per game), who was finally healthy all year, logging 33.8 minutes per game and starting all 33 contests. Senior Gracie Grocholski dropped 12.1 points per game and was the Gophers’ best three-point threat at 42% from deep. Minnesota made big moves in the transfer portal, headlined by Grace Merkle from Penn State. The 6’6 center knows the physicality of the Big Ten and gives them a true post presence that can rebound with a vengeance, score at an efficient rate and defend.
The No. 21 ranked recruiting class (per ESPN.com) coming to Minneapolis bring depth and versatility, including two Top 50 players in the class of 2026. 5’11 guard Natalie Kussow was the Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year and 5’10 guard Tori Oehrlein from Crosby-Ironton, Minn. can flat out score — she dropped over 5,000 points in her high school career. The Gophers will play non-conference games against Marquette, K-State and Kansas before the Cancun Challenge over Thanksgiving. Big Ten play begins Dec. 6 at Purdue, putting the expectations to the test even before we hit 2027.
No. 21 Nebraska
Every conference in the country is competitive and coaches know you must bring your best every night to give yourself a chance to be in the picture come March Madness. For Nebraska, last season saw ups and downs on their way to a 19-13 record, but the strength of the Big Ten worked in their favor to snag an NCAA Tournament bid. The 2026-27 Cornhuskers are wanting to put their stamp on even more wins and head coach Amy Williams has the squad to do it.
Williams’ top two scorers from last season return in juniors Britt Prince and Amiah Hargrove. Prince, an All-Big Ten selection as a sophomore, averaged 17.9 points per game and dished out over 140 assists on the year. Hargrove averaged 12.7 points per game at a clip of 53% from the field and led Nebraska in rebounding (5.5 per game). 6′ senior Logan Nissley is back as a three-point weapon for Williams, knocking down over 43% from long range last season. Husker Nation will be going wild when 6’2 senior Natalie Potts returns to the lineup after missing almost two full seasons due to injury. The O’Fallon, Mo. native was the 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and will give the Huskers a boost on both ends of the floor.
Their incoming recruiting class, ranked No. 15 (per ESPN.com), has three top 100 players that are versatile and can score. Keep an eye on 6’3 forward Ashlyn Koupal, a McDonald’s All-American and two-time South Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year, who is a three-level scorer and playmaker. Nebraska will have a handful of challenging non-conference matchups in Kansas, Creighton and Texas A&M with Big Ten action starting at Iowa on Dec. 5.
No. 22 TCU
For the past two seasons, TCU has fielded the oldest roster in women’s college basketball. Packing your rosters with experienced transfers every season will do that, and head coach Mark Campbell has found the recipe for success in Fort Worth. Back-to-back regular season conference titles have made the Horned Frogs the team to beat in the Big 12. With just three returners (two that played) and nine newcomers, including six transfers on the 2026-27 roster, they will have one of the youngest squads in the nation. 6’7 center Clara Silva started every game last year and is the top returning scorer for TCU at 9 points per game. The junior from Portugal was the top rebounder a season ago (7.4 boards per game) and is a premier rim protector — she tallied 67 blocks protecting the paint as a sophomore. 6’4 sophomore Clara Bielefeld saw time this summer for the German National Team in the FIBA World Cup and can create off the bounce for herself and her teammates.
Campbell’s immediate task is to blend the talented transfers into another championship team, which he has proven he can do. Who will run the show out front in the pick-and-roll offense? Backcourt help comes in the form of junior guards Jadyn Wooten (Oklahoma State), sharpshooter Lanie Grant (UNC) and sophomore Bella Hines (LSU). Sophomores Lara Somfai (Stanford) and Avery Hjelmstad (Utah) will add size, length and scoring at the wing positions. 5’8 guard Jessie-May Hall was named Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year and will be someone Campbell goes to early and often this season as well.
TCU will play their first eight games in Fort Worth before travelling to the Fort Meyers Tipoff over Thanksgiving. A Dec. 6 showdown with Texas awaits before Big 12 action tips on Dec. 20 against Cincinnati. Questions about how these TCU young guns come together will be answered before we hit the holiday music season.
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No. 23 Washington
Slow and steady progress towards an end goal is not always as simple as we may think, mainly because we live in a “win now” world of college sports. For Washington women’s basketball, it has been a process to gain momentum and see progress in real time. Head coach Tina Langley has been orchestrating wins and successful seasons in her first five years and looks for 2026-27 to be even better. Three of the Huskies top four scorers return, including senior guard Sayvia Sellers, who dropped 18 points per game on her way to First Team All-Big Ten honors. Junior guard Avery Howell (14.2 points per game) is one of the best three-point threats in the Big Ten, and 2026 All-Big Ten Freshman selection Brynn McGaughy will be called upon for a bigger role in her sophomore campaign.
6’6 junior Tilda Trygger arrives in Seattle after a solid two seasons at NC State, where she was top 10 in the ACC last year in both rebounding and blocked shots. Colorado State transfer Brooke Carlson will add depth to the backcourt after averaging 11.7 points and over 3.1 assists per game as a sophomore for the Rams. The Huskies were the third best defensive team in Big Ten play last year, holding teams to 62 points per game. Langley and her staff are looking for that same defensive intensity to carry Washington to a third-straight NCAA Tournament berth. That process starts Nov. 2 when they tip off the season against UC-San Diego. Non-conference tussles in November with Washington State, Stanford and Oklahoma State will ready the Huskies for their Dec. 5 Big Ten opener against USC.
No. 24 Kansas
Untimely injuries and stretches of tough losses have plagued the Jayhawks over the past two seasons. Last year, Kansas went 22-14 and fell short of securing a bid to the NCAA Tournament. There is no denying that the talent level in Lawrence is at an all-time high going into the 2026-27 season and this is one that head coach Brandon Schneider needs to make count. Senior S’Mya Nichols, a three-time All-Big 12 First Team selection, has spent her entire career at KU and is the one to lead this team back to the Big Dance. The Overland Park, Kan. native averaged just under 18 points per game and dished out 167 assists on the season.
What better way to divert attention off an all-conference performer than with more elite talent on the floor. That comes in the form of the 2026 Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Jaliya Davis. The 6’2 forward led the Jayhawks in scoring last season at 19.8 points per game while shooting 61% from the field and did not attempt a single three-point shot all year. Her mid-range game and ability to finish through contact made her unstoppable through the Big 12 season. 6’3 junior Regan Williams dealt with injuries last year and needs to stay healthy to build off her 8.9 points and five boards per game to give KU a big boost. Xavier transfer Mariyah Noel is expected to be a spark for the backcourt as a playmaking guard who can score when needed.
Schneider welcomes a second consecutive top 25 recruiting class (per ESPN.com), headlined by 6’4 center Cyndee Bryant from California, the No. 23 ranked player in the 2026 class. The Jayhawk talent will be put to the test in November with matchups against Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota State and two games at the Cancun Challenge. Big 12 action begins Dec. 20 when they host Oklahoma State.
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No. 25 Clemson
Wins were few and far between for Clemson women’s basketball before head coach Shawn Poppie arrived on the scene. In just two seasons, he has won 35 games, including 21 in 2025-26, the first time that had happened in 25 years. The Tigers clawed their way to a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament and now the Clemson program is becoming a place where talent can find a home. Senior guard Rusne Augustinaite returns as the second leading scorer from a year ago (10.5 points per game) and Poppie’s top three-point threat.
Five new faces join the Tiger roster out of the transfer portal, bringing versatility and experience to Clemson. Point guard Mackenzie Nelson (Virginia Tech) was second in the ACC with 5.7 assists per game last season and will give stability to the backcourt. 6’1 sophomore Taliyah Henderson (UNC), 6’3 forward Jenna Lawrence (Arkansas) and 6’4 junior Edie Clarke (Saint Mary’s College) each can give a boost to the front court as scorers and aggressive rebounders. 6’5 senior Yakiya Milton (USC) adds size and rim protection in the paint. More new faces and big talents come to Clemson by way of the No. 13 ranked recruiting class (per ESPN.com) for the class of 2026. Three players in the top 55 can be impact freshmen for Poppie, with 6’1 forward Kimora Fields drawing the most attention. The Cleveland, Tenn. native was the Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year and could be a three-level scorer in the ACC.
The Tigers will be hunting wins at home before being thrown into battle on Nov. 12 for a matchup against South Carolina. Then, they play the ACC/SEC Challenge on Dec. 3 at Kentucky and start conference play Dec. 13 at Wake Forest.
