AP preseason Top 25 poll reaction: What to know about every team

The 2026-27 preseason women's college basketball AP Top 25 poll results are out. With 23 first-place votes out of 31, the South Carolina Gamecocks are No. 1 for the fifth time in seven years. The UConn Huskies, who received six first-place votes, are No. 2, followed by the USC Trojans (two votes). Find the full results of the rankings -- complete with projected starting lineups and the biggest early-season games to watch for each team -- below. The season begins Nov. 1. All times ET. 1. South Carolina Gamecocks 2025-26 record: 36-4 (lost in NCAA title game) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Maryland (in France), noon, ESPN Biggest early-season game: Nov. 15 vs. USC (Greenville, South Carolina), 1 p.m., ABC Projected starting lineup: Tessa Johnson (12.8 PPG) Joyce Edwards (19.2 PPG) Jordan Lee (13.2 PPG at Texas) Chloe Kitts (10.2 PPG in 2024-25) Agot Makeer (7.3 PPG) 2. UConn Huskies 2025-26 record: 38-1 (lost in Final Four) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Cornell, 5 p.m., Peacock/NBCN Biggest early-season game: Nov. 5 at Michigan, 6:30 p.m., FS1 Projected starting lineup: Sarah Strong (18.4 PPG) KK Arnold (6.9 PPG) Ashlynn Shade (7.6 PPG) Blanca Quinonez (10.7 PPG) Jana El Alfy (4.0 PPG) 3. USC Trojans 2025-26 record: 18-14 (lost in NCAA tournament second round) Season opener: Nov. 2 at UNLV, 4 p.m., CBSSN Biggest early-season game: Nov. 15 at South Carolina, 1 p.m., ABC Projected starting lineup: JuJu Watkins (23.9 in 2024-25) Jazzy Davidson (17.9 PPG) Kennedy Smith (11.5 PPG) Saniyah Hall (No. 1 in SC Next 100) Pania Davis (7.7 PPG at Florida State) 4. Duke Blue Devils 2025-26 record: 27-9 (lost in Elite Eight) Season opener: Nov. 3 vs. Green Bay, 7 p.m., ACCNX Biggest early-season game: Nov. 28 vs. UConn (Boston), 7 p.m., FOX Projected starting lineup: Toby Fournier (17.3 PPG) Delaney Thomas (11.0 PPG) Riley Nelson (9.4 PPG) Emilee Skinner (4.3 PPG) Aaliyah Crump (7.9 PPG at Texas) 5. Michigan Wolverines 2025-26 record: 28-7 (lost in Elite Eight) Season opener: Nov. 5 vs. UConn, 6:30 p.m., FS1 Biggest early-season game: Dec. 5 vs. Oklahoma (Brooklyn, New York), 2 p.m., Fox Projected starting lineup: Olivia Olson (18.9 PPG) Syla Swords (14.6 PPG) Mila Holloway (12.3 PPG) Ashley Sofilkanich (7.7 PPG) Courtney Ogden (12.9 PPG at Stanford) 6. Texas Longhorns 2025-26 record: 35-4 (lost in Final Four) Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. FDU 8 p.m., SECN+ Biggest early-season game: Dec. 2 vs. Louisville, 9:15 p.m., ESPN2 Projected starting lineup: Madison Booker (18.9 PPG) Breya Cunningham (7.7 PPG) Bryanna Preston (4.9 PPG) Addison Bjorn (No. 10 in SC Next 100) Jayda Clark (WNBL in Australia) 7. Louisville Cardinals 2025-26 record: 29-8 (lost in Sweet 16) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Bellarine, 5 p.m., ACCNX Biggest early-season game: Nov. 15 vs. UConn, 5:30 p.m., ESPN Projected starting lineup: Tajianna Roberts (11.5 PPG) Elif Istanbulluoglu (10.1 PPG) Zamareya Jones (14.9 PPG at NC State) Mackenly Randolph (8.5 PPG) Carys Baker (14.3 PPG at Virginia Tech) 8. Vanderbilt Commodores 2025-26 record: 29-5 (lost in Sweet 16) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Lipscomb, noon, SECN+ Biggest early-season game: Nov. 15 vs. Iowa (Sioux City, Iowa), 1 p.m., FS1 Projected starting lineup: Mikayla Blakes (27.0 PPG) Aubrey Galvan (13.5 PPG) Mia Woolfolk (13.9 PPG at Georgia) Aiyana Mitchell (5.8 PPG) Olivia Jones (No. 16 in SC Next 100) 9. LSU Tigers 2025-26 record: 29-6 (lost in Sweet 16) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Southeastern Louisiana, 7 p.m., SECN Biggest early-season game: Dec. 2 at North Carolina, 7:15 p.m., ESPN2 Projected starting lineup: Mikaylah Williams (14.2 PPG) ZaKiyah Johnson (9.7 PPG) Grace Knox (8.8 PPG) MiLaysia Fulwiley (14.6 PPG) Jada Williams (15.3 PPG at Iowa State) 10. Iowa Hawkeyes 2025-26 record: 27-7 (lost in NCAA tournament second round) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Towson, 8 p.m., BIG+ Biggest early-season game: Nov. 8 vs. UConn, 2 p.m., FS1 Projected starting lineup: Ava Heiden (18.0 PPG) Chazadi Wright (12.5 PPG) Taylor Stremlow (7.9 PPG) Dani Carnegie (17.8 PPG at Georgia) McKenna Woliczko (No. 7 in SC Next 100) 11. UCLA Bruins 2025-26 record: 37-1 (won NCAA championship) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Lehigh, 2:30 p.m., BIG+ Biggest early-season game: Nov. 22 at Tennessee, 5:30 p.m., ESPN Projected starting lineup: Elina Aarnisalo (10.2 PPG at North Carolina) Donovyn Hunter (10.2 PPG at TCU) Addy Brown (11.9 PPG at Iowa State) Sienna Betts (6.0 PPG) Timea Gardiner (7.6 PPG in 2024-25) 12. North Carolina Tar Heels 2025-26 record: 28-8 (lost in Sweet 16) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Oklahoma (Paris), 2:30 p.m., ESPN2 Biggest early-season game: Nov. 8 vs. South Carolina (Charlotte, North Carolina), 5:30 p.m. ESPN Projected starting lineup: Ciera Toomey (8.8 PPG) Reniya Kelly (6.1 PPG) Achol Akot (12.4 PPG at Oklahoma State) Nyla Brooks (8.6 PPG) Kate Harpring (No. 4 in SC Next 100) 13. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2025-26 record: 25-11 (lost in Elite Eight) Season opener: Nov. 1 vs. Villanova (Rome), noon, FS1 Biggest early-season game: Dec. 3 at Vanderbilt, 9 p.m. ESPN Projected starting lineup: Hannah Hidalgo (25.3 PPG) Madison St. Rose (15.8 PPG at Princeton) Anaya Hardy (4.9 PPG at Louisville) Jacy Abii (No. 9 in SC Next 100) Leah Macy (No. 19 in SC Next 100 in 2025) 14. Kentucky Wildcats 2025-26 record: 25-11 (lost in Sweet 16) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Morehead State, 6:30 p.m., SECN+ Biggest early-season game: Nov. 8 vs. NC State (Charlotte), 3 p.m., ESPN2 Projected starting lineup: Clara Strack (16.9 PPG) Me'Arah O'Neal (13.6 PPG at Florida) Asia Boone (10.1 PPG) Maddyn Greenway (No. 14 in SC Next 100) Diana Collins (8.4 PPG at Alabama) 15. TCU Horned Frogs 2025-26 record: 32-6 (lost in Elite Eight) Season opener: Nov. 3 vs. Oral Roberts, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+ Biggest early-season game: Dec. 6 vs. Texas, 1 p.m., ESPN2 Projected starting lineup: Jessie-May Hall (19.6 PPG in the NBL1 in Australia) Clara Silva (9.0 PPG) Jadyn Wooten (12.8 PPG at Oklahoma State) Lara Somfai (10.8 PPG at Stanford) Lanie Grant (10.8 PPG at North Carolina) 16. Washington Huskies 2025-26 record: 22-11 (lost in NCAA tournament second round) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. UC San Diego, 2 p.m. Biggest early-season game: Nov. 27 vs. Oklahoma State (Fort Myers, Florida), 1:30 p.m. BDG Live) Projected starting lineup: Sayvia Sellers (18.0 PPG) Avery Howell (14.2 PPG) Tilda Trygger (10.7 PPG at NC State) Brooke Carlson (11.7 PPG at Colorado State) Brynn McGaughy (9.3 PPG) 17. Minnesota Golden Gophers 2025-26 record: 24-9 (lost in Sweet 16) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Harvard, TBA, BIG+ Biggest early-season game: Nov. 18 vs. Kansas, 8 p.m., Peacock/NBCN Projected starting lineup: Grace Grocholski (12.1 PPG) Tori McKinney (12.7 PPG) Mara Braun (11.7 PPG) Gracie Merkle (19.2 PPG at Penn State) Leah Harmon (15.7 PPG at UCF) 18. Ohio State Buckeyes 2025-26 record: 27-8 (lost in NCAA tournament second round) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Illinois-Chicago, 6:30 p.m. BIG+ Biggest early-season game: Nov. 12 vs. UConn, 6:30 p.m., FS1 Projected starting lineup: Jaloni Cambridge (23.2 PPG) Kennedy Cambridge (9.0 PPG) Elsa Lemmila (9.1 PPG) Ava Watson (7.2 PPG) Kylee Kitts (7.4 PPG) 19. Ole Miss Rebels 2025-26 record: 24-12 (lost in NCAA tournament second round) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Alcorn State, noon, SECN+ Biggest early-season game: Nov. 18 at Ohio State, 7 p.m., FS1 Projected starting lineup: Talaysia Cooper (16.0 PPG at Tennessee) Jada Richard (9.5 PPG at LSU) Kaitlin Peterson (3.6 PPG) Maya Anderson (13.9 PPG at San Jose State) Emily Howard (2.4 PPG at Boise State) 20. Maryland Terrapins 2025-26 record: 24-9 (lost in NCAA tournament second round) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. South Carolina (Paris), noon, ESPN Biggest early-season game: Dec. 5 vs. UConn (Brooklyn, New York), 4:30 p.m., FOX Projected starting lineup: Oluchi Okananwa (17.8 PPG) Addi Mack (11.0 PPG) Nunu Agara (15.3 PPG at Stanford) Bri McDaniel (10.6 PPG in 2024-25) Jordyn Jackson (No. 8 in SC Next 100) 21. Oklahoma Sooners 2025-26 record: 26-8 (lost in Sweet 16) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. North Carolina (Paris), 2:30 p.m., ESPN2 Biggest early-season game: Dec. 5 vs. Michigan (Brooklyn, New York), 2 p.m., FOX Projected starting lineup: Aaliyah Chavez (18.4 PPG) Sahara Williams (12.4 PPG) Sa'Myah Smith (7.9 PPG at Virginia) Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu (8.0 PPG) Jordan Speiser (10.2 PPG at Kansas State) 22. Oklahoma State Cowgirls 2025-26 record: 24-10 (lost in NCAA tournament second round) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Southern, 6 p.m., ESPN+ Biggest early-season game: Nov. 15 at South Dakota State, 3 p.m. Projected starting lineup: Audi Crooks (25.8 PPG at Iowa State) Liv McGill (22.5 PPG at Florida) Stailee Heard (11.9 PPG) Nene Ndiaye (14.8 PPG at Rutgers) LA Sneed (6.3 PPG at Utah) 23. Illinois Fighting Illini 2025-26 record: 22-12 (lost in NCAA tournament second round) Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. Detroit Mercy, 7 p.m., BIG+ Biggest early-season game: Nov. 18 at Ball State, 6:30 p.m. Projected starting lineup: Berry Wallace (18.4 PPG) Cearah Parchment (13.6 PPG) Gretchen Dolan (12.9 PPG) Destiny Jackson (9.9 PPG) Jasmine Brown-Hagger (6.7 PPG) 24. West Virginia Mountaineers 2025-26 record: 28-7 (lost in NCAA tournament second round) Season opener: Nov. 3 vs. Rhode Island, 7 p.m., ESPN+ Biggest early-season game: Nov. 26 vs. Notre Dame (Bahamas), 11:30 a.m., ESPN2 Projected starting lineup: Skylar Forbes (15.5 PPG at Marquette) Zahirah Walton (18.1 PPG at George Mason) Gia Cooke (15.0 PPG) Khyala Ngodu (10.8 PPG at UCF) Kennedy Harris (14.1 PPG at George Mason) 25. NC State Wolfpack 2025-26 record: 21-11 (lost in NCAA tournament second round) Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Wofford, 5 p.m., ACCNX Biggest early-season game: Nov. 8 vs. Kentucky, 3 p.m., ESPN2 Projected starting lineup: Khamil Pierre (16.7 PPG) Qadence Samuels (6.4 PPG) Zoe Brooks (16.0 PPG) Ky'She Lunan (4.5 PPG) Khady Leye (9.5 PPG at Auburn)