Tip-off for the 2026/27 NCAA women’s college basketball season is still weeks away, but the early jockeying has already begun. On Tuesday, South Carolina basketball claimed the No. 1 spot in the NCAAW preseason Power 10 rankings, with UConn women’s program close behind at No. 2.
South Carolina’s Strong Returning Core Puts Them Ahead
Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks return a talented core anchored by junior Joyce Edwards, who averaged 19.2 points per game last season. Chloe Kitts also rejoins the lineup after tearing her ACL in October of last year, strengthening a South Carolina frontcourt that reached the 2025 title game.
On the other end, UConn women’s basketball counters with junior Sarah Strong, the reigning national player of the year, who put up 18.4 points per game as a sophomore under Geno Auriemma.
Beyond the top two, Duke, USC, and Michigan land at Nos. 3 through 5. JuJu Watkins’ anticipated return from a torn ACL makes USC a real contender, while Michigan looks to build on its breakthrough Elite Eight trip. Louisville, Texas, Iowa, North Carolina, and LSU complete the field, each stacked with new additions and experienced returners heading into November tipoff.
Why UCLA Didn’t Make the Preseason Rankings
Surprisingly though, UCLA was left off the list this time around. Despite arriving as defending champions, the Bruins lost a whopping six players to the WNBA this spring. That kind of program rebuild means the 2026/27 title race should be wide open in March.