UCLA finished the season at No. 1 in The Associated Press women’s basketball Top 25 on Monday after routing South Carolina to win its first NCAA championship.
The Bruins were a unanimous choice from the 31-member national media panel, ending the season as the top choice for the first time in school history. Their first No. 1 ranking came after they also beat South Carolina in November 2024.
The Gamecocks were second behind the Bruins with Final Four participants UConn and Texas third and fourth, respectively. The Huskies, who have finished in the top 10 of the final poll for 33 straight years, had been the No. 1 team all season until Monday. They had been unbeaten until a loss to South Carolina on Friday.
No. 5 Duke, No. 6 TCU and No. 7 Michigan, which all reached the Elite Eight, followed the Longhorns. LSU was eighth and Notre Dame ninth. The Fighting Irish made the biggest leap in the poll, climbing 13 spots after reaching the regional final with an upset of Vanderbilt in the Sweet 16.. The Commodores were 10th.
In addition to the 25 ranked teams, 13 others received votes in this final poll. Texas Tech led the way with 22, followed by Princeton with 13 and Oklahoma State with 11. Illinois and Georgia each picked up 7 votes, while Fairfield and Columbia each earned 5. Marshall (3), Villanova (3), Oregon (2), Rhode Island (2), NC State (2) and Syracuse (1) rounded out the group.
Here is the full top 25:
25. Washington, 22-11, Big Ten
24. Alabama, 24-11, SEC
23. Baylor, 25-9, Big 12
22. Michigan State, 23-9, Big Ten
21. Ole Miss, 24-12, SEC
20. Maryland, 24-9, Big Ten
19. Virginia, 22-12, ACC
18. West Virginia, 28-7, Big 12
17. Ohio State, 27-8, Big Ten
16. Iowa, 27-7, Big Ten
15. Minnesota, 24-9, Big Ten
14. Kentucky, 25-11, SEC
13. North Carolina, 28-8, ACC
12. Oklahoma, 26-8, SEC
11. Louisville, 29-8, ACC
10. Vanderbilt, 29-5, SEC
9. Notre Dame, 25-11, ACC
8. LSU, 29-6, SEC
7. Michigan, 28-7, Big Ten
6. TCU, 32-6, Big 12
5. Duke, 27-9, ACC
4. Texas, 35-4, SEC
3. UConn, 38-1, Big East
2. South Carolina, 36-4, SEC
1. UCLA, 37-1, Big Ten
Celebrating history
The Bruins are one of only three teams that were in both the first women’s basketball poll 50 years ago and the final Top 25 this season. Maryland and Baylor are the other two. The Terrapins ended the season ranked 20th and the Bears were 23rd.
Ranked Cavaliers
No. 19 Virginia earned its first ranking since 2011 after reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time in 26 years. They also became the first team that played in the First Four to reach the regional semifinals.
Even with their success, the Cavaliers made a coaching change over the weekend, firing Amaka Agugua-Hamilton. The Cavaliers had been a mainstay in the poll until dropping out on Nov. 10, 2011.
Conference supremecy
The SEC and the Big Ten each had eight teams in the final Top 25 of the season. The ACC had five and The Big 12 three. The Big East had one.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Read the full article here
