The weekly WomensHoopsWorld’s top 25 is back, just in time for the new year. Though the season is less than a month old, some teams have already proven dominant and seemingly unstoppable.
Tara Vanderveer’s Stanford Cardinal is nothing short of the top team in the country right now. Their depth and versatility are the best they have been in years. ACC foes Louisville and North Carolina State take spots two and three, respectively, this week, followed by SEC powerhouse South Carolina at four. The still-reigning champion Baylor Bears round out the top five.
UConn enters this week’s poll at six. Having had no big test yet, it’s hard to know if the Huskies are for real this year or if much work is still needed. Arizona comes in at seven, followed by Texas A&M, Oregon, and Arkansas.
Kentucky suffered their first loss this week, but their slew of high-level transfers, in addition to top-tier returner Rhyne Howard, look to have them poised for a successful SEC run. UCLA follows the Wildcats, at 12.
Despite losing freshman star Angel Reese, the Maryland Terrapins are playing well. Mississippi State and Ohio State round out the top 15. Big Ten members Indiana and Northwestern fall into spots 16 and 17 this week, followed by DePaul, South Florida, and Texas.
Michigan, Missouri State, and Gonzaga go 21, 22, and 23 respectively, while the Lady Vols jump in at 24. With wins over three ranked opponents, South Dakota State rounds out the top 25.
1. Stanford
2. Louisville
3. NC State
4. South Carolina
5. Baylor
6. UCONN
7. Arizona
8. Texas A&M
9. Oregon
10. Arkansas
11. Kentucky
12. UCLA
13. Maryland
14. Mississippi State
15. Ohio State
16. Indiana
17. Northwestern
18. DePaul
19. South Florida
20. Texas
21. Michigan
22. Missouri State
23. Gonzaga
24. Tennessee
25. South Dakota State
Receiving votes: Michigan State, Syracuse, Georgia, North Carolina, Iowa