The Bruins (37-1) sit atop the women's basketball landscape, rising from No. 2 to claim the throne after a season that left no doubt about who owns the sport right now. The Huskies (38-1), despite carrying the best record in the poll, slipped from No. 1 to No. 3 — a reminder that voters care about more than just the loss column. The Gamecocks (36-4) capitalized on that opening, surging from No. 4 to No. 2 and setting up a three-team collision at the summit that nobody in the sport wants to look away from.
Down the ballot, the Horned Frogs (32-6) authored the poll's most electric rise, vaulting eight spots from No. 14 to No. 6 — a leap that says TCU isn't just participating anymore. The Fighting Irish (25-11) went nuclear, climbing 13 spots from No. 22 to No. 9, the single biggest jump in the rankings. Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes (27-7) suffered the steepest fall, dropping nine spots from No. 7 to No. 16. The Blue Devils (27-9) quietly muscled their way into the top five at No. 5, up from No. 8, proving Duke's brand of basketball travels well beyond Durham.
Data via ESPN · Summarized by D1Ball's editorial engine from official statistics.
More from the newsroom