When the UConn Huskies received their fourth consecutive NCAA girls’s basketball title (eleventh total) in 2016, nobody would have guessed almost a decade would move earlier than they celebrated a championship once more.
Final season, although, the Huskies dominated Closing 4 foes UCLA and South Carolina, giving this system and coach Geno Auriemma a twelfth nationwide championship.
Can the Huskies win a thirteenth? UConn is ranked No. 1 within the preseason ballot regardless of shedding standout Paige Bueckers, the highest draft decide and Rookie of the Yr this previous WNBA season.
Many different prime contending groups from final season return sturdy, too, although USC famous person JuJu Watkins is sitting out 2025-2026 after tearing her proper ACL within the NCAA match in March.
Everybody needed to alter to extra main shifts in convention realignment final season, however the mud has settled … for now. Earlier than we formally get began on the highway to Phoenix — a first-time host for the ladies’s Closing 4 — ESPN’s Michael Voepel, Charlie Creme and Kendra Andrews ask and reply 10 burning questions for the 2025-26 faculty basketball season.
Can UConn repeat?
Not solely can the Huskies repeat, they need to be thought of the favorites to ship one other championship to Storrs. That stated, this is not the 2016 Huskies of Breanna Stewart, Morgan Tuck and Moriah Jefferson coming off three consecutive titles. UCLA, South Carolina, Texas and LSU are additionally viable candidates, and UConn does have to interchange probably the greatest gamers within the storied historical past of this system in Bueckers.
However the Huskies are the preseason No. 1 staff within the nation for a purpose. A couple of causes, actually.
Sarah Robust seems in line to affix the group of all-time UConn greats. The 6-foot-2 sophomore was quietly dominant a yr in the past (16.4 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 3.6 APG, 2.3 SPG, 58.6% FG) and may be one of the best participant within the nation. Put extremely productive Wisconsin switch Serah Williams subsequent to Robust, plus the dimensions of 6-5 Jana El Alfy, 6-3 Ice Brady and the proficient 6-2 freshman Blanca Quiñonez, and Auriemma has as deep and versatile a frontcourt as he has had in current reminiscence. Now couple all that size with an array of shooters — led by All-American contender Azzi Fudd, who was lastly wholesome final season and shined within the Closing 4 — and these Huskies have all the weather of being champions once more. — Creme
After averaging a Division I-leading 25.2 PPG final season for Florida State, Latson needed to be on a much bigger stage for her senior yr. South Carolina gives that. In flip, she gives the Gamecocks with confirmed high-level scoring.
Solely two of the Gamecocks’ prime eight scorers from final season’s nationwide runner-up staff — Joyce Edwards (12.7 PPG) and Tessa Johnson (8.4 PPG) — are on the roster this season. The others both graduated, transferred or are out with damage.
Coach Daybreak Staley nonetheless has many proficient gamers. Some, reminiscent of extremely touted freshmen guards Agot Makeer and Ayla McDowell, would possibly take some time to develop. However there should not be a lot of a studying curve for Latson, who might have been a excessive first-round decide in April had she determined to enter the WNBA draft (she was age-eligible). Raven Johnson is in her fifth yr (she redshirted her freshman season with a knee damage) and Tessa Johnson is in her third. Mixed with Latson, they make a really skilled backcourt trio.
The Gamecocks have received or tied for the SEC regular-season title 9 of the previous 12 years, and in addition received the league match title 9 occasions in that stretch. Count on Texas, LSU, Oklahoma and Tennessee to be South Carolina’s prime challengers within the convention. The Longhorns and Sooners adjusted properly to the league of their first yr, and the Girl Vols had a stable exhibiting beneath first-year coach Kim Caldwell. All of them, together with LSU, are itching to completely knock the Gamecocks off their perch. However that can proceed to be an enormous problem. — Voepel
Can UCLA and Texas construct on disappointing Closing Fours?
If nothing else, how final season ended must be gas for each groups.
“Disappointing” would possibly sound odd, contemplating the Bruins had by no means made the Closing 4 within the NCAA period, and the Longhorns had not been that far since 2003. So attending to the nationwide semifinals was an enormous deal. Nevertheless, each misplaced large there: UCLA by 34 factors to UConn, and Texas by 17 to South Carolina.
This season, the Bruins’ roster seems to be lots totally different after shedding most of their freshman class and key rotation gamers Londynn Jones and Janiah Barker to the switch portal. However they retained most of their core, together with main scorer Lauren Betts, probably the greatest gamers within the nation. UCLA can be bringing again 69% of its scoring and 55% of its rebounding from final season. The Bruins add Betts’ sister, Sienna, the No. 2-ranked prospect within the nation for the 2025 class, and Lena Bilić, a prime abroad prospect.
The Bruins have a difficult nonconference schedule, with a number of video games towards groups within the preseason prime 10 — together with Texas, which went 35-4 and earned a share of the SEC regular-season title in its first yr within the convention. Junior ahead Madison Booker (16.3 PPG, 6.6RPG, 46.6% FG) was SEC participant of the yr — an honor she’s picked to repeat this season.
Texas coach Vic Schaefer is difficult Booker to proceed to develop not simply on the court docket but additionally as a vocal chief because the staff brings in a number of new faces and leans extra closely on the sophomore class. — Andrews
How will USC do with out JuJu Watkins?
The pendulum might swing in both course for the Trojans. The expertise remains to be plentiful even with out Watkins, however a lot of it’s younger. If Kennedy Smith (9.5 PPG) makes that large sophomore leap and if the nation’s top-rated recruit Jazzy Davidson performs as much as her standing, USC might be a top-15 staff and compete for a spot close to the highest of the Massive Ten. The manufacturing and management of transfers Kara Dunn (Georgia Tech) and Londynn Jones (UCLA) will even be key.
That is additionally a staff that would end outdoors the highest 5 within the Massive Ten and roll into the NCAA match as a No. 6 or 7 seed. The Trojans relied closely on Watkins the previous two seasons, so that they might want to shift their method. Not solely was Watkins the centerpiece of the offense, taking stress off the remainder of the lineup, she was one of many premier defenders within the nation. These roles and manufacturing will now be unfold out throughout the roster and can instantly be examined by a nonconference schedule that features NC State, South Carolina, Notre Dame, UConn and UCLA earlier than Jan. 3. How the younger and new-look Trojans survive that stretch would possibly outline how a lot Watkins is missed. — Creme
By her two faculty seasons at South Carolina, Fulwiley’s profession might be outlined as electrifying: She was referred to as a strolling spotlight reel. Her profession was additionally characterised by wild fluctuations in reliability and manufacturing. Her 11.7 factors and a pair of.0 assists per sport final season have been accompanied by a 1.1 assist-to-turnover ratio and 25.8% 3-point capturing.
Now a possibility awaits in Baton Rouge to be a full-time level guard. If Fulwiley embraces the job, and the consistency it requires, she is going to flourish — particularly since she will probably be flanked by two different potential All-Individuals in Flau’Jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams.
Fulwiley’s future as a professional is probably going taking part in the purpose. With Raven Johnson returning to South Carolina for yet another season, the prospect for Fulwiley to hone these expertise full-time wasn’t going to occur till 2026-27. So the transfer to LSU is smart. Though she’s leaving one of many all-time nice level guards in coach Daybreak Staley, she’ll now be mentored by one other Corridor of Famer who is aware of a good quantity in regards to the place in Kim Mulkey. — Creme
Is Duke able to take that subsequent step beneath Kara Lawson?
Lawson took over within the 2020-21 season, which lasted simply 4 video games earlier than being cancelled as a result of COVID-19. However it has been a gentle construct since in Durham.
The Blue Devils missed the 2022 NCAA match, made the second spherical in 2023, the Candy 16 in 2024 and the Elite Eight final season with a 29-8 file. Now, what is maybe probably the most proficient Duke staff beneath Lawson might take the following step to the Closing 4. It is usually the favourite within the ACC.
Duke’s recruiting has additionally continued to enhance. In every of the previous two years Lawson has landed a top-10 highschool participant: Toby Fournier, the 2025 ACC rookie of the yr, and Emilee Skinner, who must be the Blue Devils’ place to begin guard once they open the season Nov. 3 towards Baylor in Paris.
The Blue Devils’ protection has been this system’s calling card beneath Lawson. If veterans reminiscent of Ashlon Jackson (12.4 PPG), Delaney Thomas (7.1 PPG) and Taina Mair (3.6 APG) can produce sufficient offense, and the NCAA match matchups are extra favorable (South Carolina and UConn eradicated the Blue Devils the earlier two seasons), Duke might break by way of to its first Closing 4 since 2006. — Creme
Can TCU repeat the switch magic?
The Horned Frogs are coming off their best-ever season: They went 34-4, received the Massive 12 regular-season and match titles and made the Elite Eight, all program firsts. However TCU misplaced 4 senior starters, all of whom have been transfers — together with main scorers Hailey Van Lith (17.9 PPG) and Sedona Prince (17.2).
Nonetheless, TCU is the Massive 12 preseason favourite, largely as a result of coach Mark Campbell has restocked from the portal. That expertise infusion is led by level guard Olivia Miles (Notre Dame), ahead Marta Suarez (Cal) and 6-7 facilities Clara Silva (Kentucky) and Kennedy Basham (Arizona State). Switch guard Maddie Scherr, who joined the staff final season however did not play due to an damage, is wholesome and also needs to considerably contribute.
Miles stated lately that the group has bonded rapidly, and that she is wanting ahead to having a number of large posts to work with within the pick-and-roll. TCU’s prime challengers within the Massive 12 must be much like final season: Baylor, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and West Virginia. — Voepel
Miles’ departure to TCU put the keys to the Irish offense again firmly within the palms of Hidalgo, who was the lead level guard in 2023-24 when Miles was injured and sat out the season. Plus, three different Irish starters and a prime reserve from final season are now not in South Bend.
So, that is the junior guard’s present much more than it has ever been. In her two seasons at Notre Dame, she averaged 23.1 factors, 5.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 4.2 steals. She received the ACC’s participant of the yr and defensive participant of the yr honors final season and is anticipated to win them once more. Notre Dame is predicted to complete fifth within the ACC, so we’ll see if Hidalgo can cause them to a greater end than that. — Voepel
Will Stanford bounce again from a non-NCAA match season?
It is seemingly no program felt the consequences of change greater than Stanford final season. Tara VanDerveer, the architect of Stanford as a powerhouse program going again to her arrival in 1985, retired. Her longtime assistant and former participant Kate Paye took over as coach, however needed to face a brand new convention, with each Stanford and Cal transferring to the ACC. That meant cross-country journey for convention play. The Cardinal completed 16-15 total and 8-10 within the ACC, lacking the NCAA match for the primary time since 1987.
They’ll look to reclaim their contender id this season — or a minimum of begin on the trail to that. Stanford is projected to complete sixth within the ACC behind Duke, NC State, North Carolina, Louisville and Notre Dame. Junior ahead Sunaja “Nunu” Agara was named to the preseason All-ACC staff, whereas guard Hailee Swain and ahead Lara Somfai have been named to the convention’s preseason All-Freshman staff. Stanford’s five-player recruiting class was ranked No. 3 by ESPN’s Shane Laflin, and this might be the group that helps outline the Cardinal’s subsequent period. — Voepel
Which convention will earn probably the most NCAA match bids?
Our preseason Bracketology has 13 Massive Ten groups within the NCAA match subject, 11 ACC and 9 SEC. Heading into the brand new season, the Massive Ten seems to be just like the deepest convention and must be ready to interrupt its personal mark of 12 match groups set final spring.
Seven of these 12 have been seeded No. 6 or decrease, and this season’s projection units that quantity at eight. However UCLA seems to be like the one nationwide title contender from the convention. The SEC has 5 of its projected 9 groups within the prime 16, and produced two Closing 4 groups final season. The center and backside of this league shouldn’t have as many good groups because the Massive Ten, however the SEC has extra groups who’re thought of elite and have produced extra in current NCAA tournaments.
Earlier than Iowa guard Caitlin Clark’s nationwide takeover in 2023, the Massive Ten hadn’t produced a Closing 4 staff for the reason that 2015 Maryland Terrapins of their first season after leaving the ACC. The argument about which is the higher measuring stick of a convention’s energy will rage on, however count on the Massive Ten to provide probably the most bids. — Creme