Top 10 women’s college basketball teams for the 2025-26 season

3. UCLA Bruins

UCLA’s championship window remains open in 2026 as Cori Close continues to get the Bruins closer and closer to winning their first NCAA national title. UCLA reached its first Final Four in 2025, but was blown out by eventual national champion UConn in Tampa. The good news for the Bruins is that they will return many key players outside of juniors Janiah Barker and Londynn Jones, who are transferring. That includes star forward Lauren Betts, who was arguably the best player in women’s college basketball this past season. Her sister, No. 2-ranked Class of 2025 commit Sienna Betts, will soon join Lauren in Westwood. Close may still need to bolster the roster with a couple of transfers, but UCLA seems set up to make another deep postseason run.