Women's College Basketball Rankings: AP Top 25 updated following Week 7 of play

It’s nearly Christmas with just one full week of December left on the calendar. That means that some women’s basketball teams have opened conference play while others are preparing to do so. It also means the AP Top 25 Poll has been updated once again.

Nobody ranked in the AP Top 10 lost this past week, as that group of teams has seemingly begun to separate itself. Still, there’s plenty of room for movement around the AP Poll. In particular, as teams are positioning themselves for the month of January.

The AP Poll can act as a kind of snapshot for where teams stand in a given season. So, here’s a look at how things are breaking down at this point in the 2025-26 season.

1. UConn

UConn has been ranked at the top of the AP Poll since the preseason. All they’ve done this season is dominate. That continued last week with blowout wins over Marquette and Iowa.

Next week, UConn is going to be back into Big East play. After a brief break over Christmas, the Huskies are back in action against Butler on Sunday.

2. Texas

After a week of non-conference action, the Texas Longhorns dominated a pair of mid-major opponents. So, with an excellent resume to this point and an unbeaten record, it’s no surprise that the AP Poll thinks so highly of the Longhorns.

It’s going to be a few days before Texas is back in action. When the Longhorns are back on Sunday, non-conference play continues with Southeastern Louisiana.

3. South Carolina

It’s hard to undersell how dominant South Carolina was this past week. In a pair of non-conference games, the Gamecocks won by a combined score of 208-87. In both games, South Carolina scored better than 100 points and allowed fewer than 50.

Non-conference play continues after Christmas against Providence. There, South Carolina will have another chance to prove their value in the AP Poll before SEC play tips off.

4. UCLA

UCLA has now won five games in a row since dropping its only loss of the season to Texas. That’s a respectable loss, given the AP rankings. Add in a couple of dominant non-conference wins and UCLA looks like a major contender.

When UCLA is back in action, the Bruins are going to be in Big Ten play against Ohio State. It’s a major step up in competition for UCLA from their recent non-conference blowouts.

5. LSU

The LSU Tigers are still unbeaten this season. That continued last week with a pair of blowout wins in non-conference play. There are some questions about how difficult that schedule has been, though, which could be hurting LSU in the AP rankings.

Non-conference play continues next week against Alabama State. That’s their final game before SEC play and a steep increase in competition.

6. Michigan

Michigan had just one game last week. That ended up being a blowout win over Oakland, which helped to solidify their spot in the AP Poll. 

Now, Michigan has a decent break. The Wolverines won’t be back in action until December 9th. When Michigan is back on the court, it’s going to be in a Big Ten road trip against Oregon.

7. Maryland

Maryland played just one game last week. That was a 98-30 win over Central Connecticut State. With that, they’re still in the AP Top 10.

Next week, Maryland is heading into a break for Christmas. Once the Terrapins are back, though, it’s going to be time to dive into Big Ten play.

8. TCU

Big 12 play is underway for TCU. That was against Kansas State and proved to be a dominant win for the Horned Frogs. Now, they’re clearly one of the top teams in the AP Poll.

Christmas is going to give TCU some time off. When the Horned Frogs are back in action, they’ll be ready to take on BYU.

9. Oklahoma

Oklahoma managed to maintain itself as a Top 10 team in the AP Poll. That’s despite not playing since December 13th. That made for 10 wins in a row. With just one loss to UCLA, the Sooners look formidable. 

The Sooners are back in action on Tuesday against NC Central. After that, they’ll have a bit of a break for the Christmas holiday.

10. Iowa State

The Iowa State Cyclones maintained their unbeaten mark last week with a win over Kansas. That came in a close Big 12 battle, which saw the Cyclones dominate in the paint. Now, they’re still a Top 10 team in the AP Poll because of it.

Iowa State won’t be back in action until New Year’s Eve. Once they’re back on the court, Big 12 play continues in earnest. That’s on the road against Houston.

11. Kentucky
12. Vanderbilt
13. Louisville
14. Iowa
15. Ole Miss
16. North Carolina
17. USC
18. Notre Dame
19. Ohio State
20. Nebraska
21. Texas Tech
22. Baylor
23. Tennessee
24. Michigan State
25. Princeton

Others receiving votes: Oklahoma St. 37, Alabama 26, Stanford 21, Georgia 20, Washington 17, NC State 12, Arizona St. 7, Illinois 4, Oregon 3, BYU 1.