The UConn women’s basketball team is one of just three undefeated squads remaining in Division I after another chaotic week, keeping the Huskies at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the 10th consecutive poll.
Texas was the latest unbeaten team to fall, suffering its first loss of 2025-26 to LSU on Sunday. The Longhorns dropped two places in the poll to No. 4, and LSU took a significant leap back up to No. 6 after starting 0-2 in SEC play and falling out of the top 10 for the first time just last week.
With Texas’ loss, UConn received all 32 first-place votes for its first unanimous top ranking of the season. South Carolina took over No. 2 and UCLA moved up a place to No. 3, marking the first movement among the top 4 teams since Week 5.
Eight other teams in last week’s top 25 were upset last week, including three in the top 10. Then-No. 6 Kentucky lost 64-51 against Alabama on Thursday, but the Wildcats quickly redeemed themselves with a 63-57 upset of then-No. 5 Oklahoma on Sunday to remain No. 7 in the poll. Oklahoma plummeted to No. 13 after it also lost to No. 16 Ole Miss on Thursday, and Alabama made its season debut in the rankings at No. 21. Maryland dropped out of the top 10 as well, falling four places to No. 12 following an 89-76 loss to Ohio State. The Buckeyes jumped five spots to No. 14 with the victory.
The Huskies’ strength of schedule took a hit this week with USC dropping out of the poll following a pair of ugly losses to Oregon and Minnesota. But the team’s non-conference wins over Ohio State and Louisville are aging well with the Cardinals up to No. 9, and Michigan also moved up a spot to No. 8. Notre Dame ended an 85-week streak of appearances in the AP poll when it fell out last week, but the team rejoined the rankings at No. 23 thanks to an upset of North Carolina, so UConn should get another top 25 matchup when it hosts the Fighting Irish on Jan. 19 at Gampel Pavilion.
It was also a good week for a pair of UConn alumni now coaching top 25 teams. Shea Ralph’s Vanderbilt squad moved up to No. 5, the program’s highest ranking in the AP poll since 2002. Carla Berube’s Princeton team jumped two places to No. 22, its best ranking since 2020.
The Huskies are back in action at Gampel Pavilion on Thursday for a Big East matchup against Villanova.
AP Top 25 women’s basketball poll: Week 9
UConn
South Carolina
UCLA
Texas
Vanderbilt
LSU
Kentucky
Michigan
Louisville
TCU
Iowa
Maryland
Oklahoma
Ohio State
Michigan State
Ole Miss
Texas Tech
Baylor
Iowa State
Tennessee
Alabama
Princeton
Notre Dame
Nebraska
Illinois
How UConn reporter Emily Adams voted in AP poll
UConn
UCLA
South Carolina
Teas
Vanderbilt
LSU
Ohio State
Kentucky
Louisville
Michigan
Maryland
Michigan State
Ole Miss
Oklahoma
TCU
Alabama
Texas Tech
Iowa
Baylor
Tennessee
Illinois
Princeton
West Virginia
Nebraska
Washington
