Women’s college basketball poll snubs: Three teams get way too little preseason respect

October 20, 2026 College Basketball

If a women’s basketball team needed a little bulletin board material before their season-opener, the USA TODAY Sports’ Coaches Poll has provided that for the squads excluded from the top 25.

The poll was released on Tuesday, Oct. 20, a little less than two weeks before the season begins with a matchup between Notre Dame and Villanova in Rome on Nov. 1.

As expected, South Carolina and UConn top the poll, coming in at first and second, respectively. Both are projected to be contenders for the national title once again. USC was third, Duke fourth and Michigan rounded out the top five.

But the poll is only fit for 25 teams, leaving several worthy teams on the outside of the national rankings.

Of course, the voting panel won’t be right about every selection. Here’s a few teams capable of proving the projections wrong.

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Women’s college basketball preseason Top 25 rankings for 2026-27

25. North Carolina State (21-11)

(Brett Davis, Imagn Images)

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Women’s college basketball preseason Top 25 rankings for 2026-27

25. North Carolina State (21-11)

(Brett Davis, Imagn Images)

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Women’s college basketball preseason Top 25 rankings for 2026-27

24. West Virginia (28-7)

(William Purnell, Imagn Images)

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Women’s college basketball preseason Top 25 rankings for 2026-27

23. Mississippi (24-12)

(Jim Dedmon, Imagn Images)

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Women’s college basketball preseason Top 25 rankings for 2026-27

22. Illinois (22-12)

(Carly Mackler, Getty Images)

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Women’s college basketball preseason Top 25 rankings for 2026-27

21. Oklahoma (26-8)

(Ed Szczepanski, Imagn Images)

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Women’s college basketball preseason Top 25 rankings for 2026-27

20. Ohio State (27-8)

(Robert Goddin, Imagn Images)

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Women’s college basketball preseason Top 25 rankings for 2026-27

19. Oklahoma State (24-10)

(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images)

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Women’s college basketball preseason Top 25 rankings for 2026-27

18. Minnesota (24-9)

(Ed Szczepanski, Imagn Images)

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