Hear from Iowa coach Jan Jensen before the Hawkeyes face Evansville
Hear from Iowa women’s basketball coach Jan Jensen before the Hawkeyes face Evansville
After landing a conference-record 12 NCAA Tournament bids a season ago, Big Ten women’s basketball returns with more quality depth and one clear-cut national title contender.
While the league may not be as top-heavy this season behind preseason favorite UCLA, those in the middle are capable of just about anything night after night. We’ll get another early-December taste of league play before fully jumping in right around New Year’s Day.
With that, here is the USA TODAY Sports Network’s first Big Ten women’s basketball power rankings of the 2025-26 season. Records are reflective of games through Nov. 7.   Â
1. UCLA (2-0)
What to know: Lauren Betts and the Bruins kicked off this much-anticipated season with two easy wins over San Diego State and UC Santa Barbara. However, UCLA has ranked matchups versus Oklahoma, North Carolina, Texas and Tennessee later this month.
2. Maryland (2-0)
What to know: Brenda Frese’s squad began this season with two dominant performances against Loyola (Maryland) and UMBC. A Thanksgiving trip to Puerto Rico will provide Maryland’s toughest non-conference test.
3. Michigan (1-0)
What to know: After kicking off the season with a 60-point victory over Canisius, Michigan has a slew of intriguing games upcoming. The Wolverines face Notre Dame, UConn and Syracuse all before Thanksgiving. Â
4. USC (1-0)
What to know: The Trojans began their campaign without JuJu Watkins with an easy win over New Mexico State. USC is about to enter a non-conference gauntlet, though, with upcoming games against North Carolina State, South Carolina, Notre Dame and UConn.
5. Michigan State (1-0)
What to know: After a jarring 125-39 win over Mercyhurst on opening night, Michigan State should continue to cruise through its non-conference schedule. The Spartans aren’t guaranteed to face a Power Four foe until their Big Ten opener on Dec. 7.
6. Iowa (1-0)
What to know: A dominant opening-night win over Southern should build confidence as Iowa pushes through its non-conference slate. Upcoming, the Hawkeyes have in-state showdowns against Drake and UNI — then a trip to Orlando for the WBCA Showcase.
7. Ohio State (0-0)
What to know: The Buckeyes’ Nov. 9 game against Coppin State is the latest season opener in the league. A Nov. 16 trip to top-ranked UConn highlights Ohio State’s non-conference slate.
8. Washington (1-0)
What to know: Washington kicked off the year with a 90-43 win over Seattle U. The Huskies won’t play outside the Pacific or Mountain Time Zone until Jan. 11 at Purdue.
9. Indiana (2-0)
What to know: The Hoosiers opened the year with easy wins over Lipscomb and UIC. Indiana has two important upcoming trips to the state of Florida — at Florida State, then at Florida Gulf Coast for the Coconut Hoops tournament.   Â
10. Nebraska (1-0)
What to know: After a strong opening-night win over Northwestern State, Nebraska has two more home games before facing North Dakota State in the Sanford Pentagon.
11. Oregon (1-0)
What to know: Oregon began a manageable non-conference slate with a 100-59 win over West Georgia. The Ducks have three more home games before their first trip of the year at Washington State on Nov. 19.
12. Illinois (1-0)
What to know: The Fighting Illini will hit the road more than most in the non-conference. After dispatching SEMO in its season opener, Illinois will head to Oregon State, Florida State and Missouri in the weeks ahead.
13. Minnesota (2-0)
What to know: The Golden Gophers will have tests against Marquette, Kansas and South Florida before their Big Ten opener vs. Maryland on Dec. 7.
14. Penn State (2-0)
What to know: After toppling Bucknell and Cincinnati to start, Penn State has upcoming tests at St. Joseph’s and at the Battle for Atlantis tournament.
15. Wisconsin (1-0)
What to know: A trip to Marquette highlights Wisconsin’s early slate, followed by participation in the Daytona Beach Classic over Thanksgiving weekend. Â
16. Northwestern (1-0)
What to know: The Wildcats opened the year with a 67-64 win over IU Indianapolis. Intriguing games upcoming include a Nov. 17 trip to DePaul and a trek down south to the Fort Myers Tip-Off
17. Rutgers (2-0)
What to know: The Scarlet Knights opened the year with wins over Wagner and Quinnipiac. A Nov. 20 visit to Auburn marks the first significant test. Â
18. Purdue (2-0)
What to know: After opening the year with wins over FDU and Eastern Illinois, Purdue has back-to-back road trips to Purdue Fort Wayne and Kentucky. Â