The first Associated Press top 25 of the women’s college basketball season has arrived, with South Carolina taking the top spot in the poll again after finishing last season as the wire-to-wire No. 1.

The Gamecocks received all 30 first-place votes. The reigning national champions have taken the top spot in the preseason poll for three consecutive years.

“This is where we wanted to be and envisioned for our program,” Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley told the Associated Press. “I got to give it to our players. We constantly get some of the best players in the country. They put us in this position as they work extremely hard. I don’t know if they come in and say I want to be the No. 1 team in the country, but they do say they want to be national champions. This is a step to being a national champion.”

South Carolina is followed in the top 25 by Stanford and Texas. The No. 3 Longhorns moved up three spots from their final ranking last season.

Iowa is the top Big Ten team, coming in fourth in the poll. It’s a four-spot jump for Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes, who finished eighth overall last season.

“It makes no difference in March what we’re ranked in October, but certainly I want my team to have confidence and be proud of what they’ve accomplished. Iowa is on the map,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said. “We’ll celebrate it and then forgot about it.”

The Hawkeyes lead six ranked Big Ten teams, the most of any conference in the country. Joining the Hawkeyes are No. 11 Indiana, No. 14 Ohio State, No. 17 Maryland, No. 22 Nebraska and No. 25 Michigan.

The Big Ten is followed by the ACC, which has five teams in the poll, including three in the top 10: No. 7 Louisville, No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 10 NC State.

The biggest climber in the top 25 is Tennessee, which rose 13 spots to No. 5. UConn takes the No. 6 spot, while Iowa State rounds out the top 10 at No. 8.

This season marks the first time in 15 years that UConn has not been among the top five teams in the preseason poll. The Huskies finished last season at No. 5. They advanced to the NCAA title game last season but lost to South Carolina, and since then have lost star Paige Bueckers to a season-ending knee injury.

Princeton enters the preseason rankings for the first time at No. 24. While the Tigers were ranked in the final two weeks of last season, they’ve never found themselves in this position heading into the season.

“It’s great for our program and for the Ivy League and putting some respect on what we’ve done in the past,” Princeton coach Carla Berube said. “I think it’s tremendous for our team and for us to live up to the standards we’ve set, we’ve got lofty goals. To be ranked in the preseason means a lot, but there’s a lot of work to be done.”

The Soccer Tournament (TST) is coming back to Cary in 2026, as the North Carolina-based 7v7 competition dropped the dates for its fourth iteration earlier this week.

After its 2023 inaugural tournament, which included a mix of men's, women's, and co-ed teams, TST will re-up its 16-team women's competition — expanded in 2025 from eight teams in 2024 —alongside its men's edition this summer, running both contests from May 27th through June 1st.

Additionally, TST will again be anteing up a $1 million winners check to entice soccer's top players to take the pitch in Cary.

The seven-figure prize again has the reigning two-time champion US Women coming back, with USWNT alum and incoming National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee Heather O'Reilly announcing in November that the team will return to defend their title in 2026.

"Many of my former teammates with the USWNT will be making appearances, so we can't wait to see you in the summertime," promised O'Reilly at the TST x Cary Kickoff Party before adding a joking "we're not f—ing leaving."

As small-side events grow in popularity, North Carolina has doubled down on keeping TST at WakeMed Soccer Park, the home of the NWSL's Courage.

In October, the state awarded TST a $6.6 million grant to remain in Cary through 2029, anticipating an economic impact from the competition in the eight figures.

How to buy tickets for TST in 2026

The ticket pre-sale for TST 2026 will open at 9 AM ET on Tuesday, February 24th, with added exclusive benefits to fans who join TST's ticket waitlist.

LSU women's basketball star Flau'jae Johnson is gearing up again, with Sole Retriever revealing on Tuesday that the senior guard plans to drop a new Puma player exclusive sneaker next month.

The 22-year-old will take over the Puma All-Pro Nitro 2, pairing a tan and brown camouflage pattern with bright pink and green accents.

Adorned with a custom logo representing Johnson's No. 4 jersey — a four-finger hand image in green — the Tigers standout will see her exclusive logo on both the tongue and bottom sole of the All-Pro Nitro 2.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

A major player in Puma's NIL program since 2022, Johnson debuted her first player exclusive colorway in 2024, but this new design will be the NIL star's first PE available on the consumer market.

"They were very intrigued not only [about] basketball, but my music side, too," Johnson told Andscape after signing with the sportswear giant. "That was really important to me, because some people try to box you in. Puma was like, 'Ain't no box. Ain't no cage.'"

How to purchase the Puma All-Pro Nitro 2 Flau'jae Johnson PE sneaker

Retailing at $140, Johnson's Puma All-Pro Nitro 2 PE sneakers will hit both online and brick-and-mortar shelves on February 6th.

Orlando has landed a new front office leader, as the Pride announced on Tuesday that they've hired former Kansas City Current GM Caitlin Carducci as the Florida NWSL club's new VP of soccer operations and GM.

"Caitlin is a proven leader whose experience across every level of women's soccer and history of building championship-caliber rosters set her apart," said Pride owner and chairman Mark Wilf in the team's Tuesday statement. "She emerged as the clear choice in our search with her deep expertise, strong reputation, and a vision that aligns with our culture."

Carducci, whose resume also boasts roles developing the women's game at both the NWSL's headquarters and for US Soccer, stepped away from the Current after two seasons, departing after Kansas City's historic 2025 Shield-winning run.

She replaces outgoing VP of soccer operations and sporting director Haley Carter, who left the Pride in November prior to becoming the new president of soccer operations for the Washington Spirit.

Rather than instigating significant changes, Carducci plans to bolster the recent accomplishments of the 2024 Shield and championship-winning Orlando Pride with a goal of creating ongoing success for the club.

"The chance to work with the Wilf family, whose leadership and investment reflect their commitment to a world‑class organization, along with a championship‑level roster and technical staff, made this an easy decision," said Carducci. "I'm eager to begin this next chapter, strengthen the inclusive and ambitious culture that defines this club, and help push the Pride toward new heights."

Professional softball put down roots coast-to-coast on Tuesday, when the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) unveiled the home cities and stadiums for each of the expanded league's teams for the 2026 season — and beyond.

After adopting a touring model for its four-team inaugural 2025 campaign, AUSL's move into home markets coincides with the league's expansion, as the now-six-team second-year league welcomed the Cascade and Spark in November.

With Tuesday's announcement, the previously independent Spark will continue to play in Oklahoma City at Oklahoma Christian University's Tom Heath Field, with fellow expansion side Cascade making its home at Hillsboro Ballpark, in Portland, Oregon.

Meanwhile, the four original teams will re-debut as the Carolina Blaze, Chicago Bandits, Texas Volts, and Utah Talons.

The Blaze will play their home games at Duke University's Smith Family Stadium in Durham, North Carolina, while the Bandits' permanent home will be at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois — a longtime hub for pro softball.

The Volts will play at Dell Diamond, the home of Minor League Baseball's Round Rock Express, the Triple-A team for MLB's Texas Rangers.

Lastly, the University of Utah will house the Talons, with the reigning AUSL champions taking over the Utes' Dumke Family Stadium in Salt Lake City beginning this year.

"This is about creating lasting connections between our athletes, our teams, and the communities they represent, and setting up the sport of softball for long-term success at the professional level," said AUSL commissioner Kim Ng in Tuesday's announcement.

All six teams will kick off their 2026 season on June 9th, when games will be played across multiple cities simultaneously for the first time in AUSL history.

How to purchase 2026 AUSL season tickets

Softball fans can now score 2026 season tickets for their AUSL home teams online.