Women's basketball analysts remain divided over the top 2026 WNBA Draft selection, as WNBA mock drafts gear up for the Dallas Wings' second consecutive No. 1 pick.
The Wings face a crucial decision between 19-year-old Spanish center Awa Fam or a skilled guard to complement 2025 top pick Paige Bueckers. Bleacher Report and The Sporting News both predict that Dallas will take Fam, citing her rare combination of size, skill, and athleticism at such a young age.
Two playoff teams from 2025 — Minnesota and Seattle — own lottery picks due to previous trades. Both franchises can make strategic roster additions without rebuilding pressure.
TCU point guard Olivia Miles holds strong second-pick projections across major WNBA mock draft boards. The 23-year-old transfer could bring elite passing skills and improved 3-point shooting to strengthen Minnesota's aging backcourt.
UConn's Azzi Fudd lands at No. 3 in most projections despite struggling in the Huskies' Final Four upset. The sharpshooting guard remains one of the draft's premier floor-spacing options for lottery team Seattle.
UCLA's NCAA championship run also boosted its seniors into first-round consideration. Bleacher Report moved Most Outstanding Player Lauren Betts to Washington's No. 4 pick, while The Sporting News sees the Mystics selecting Bruins point guard Kiki Rice instead.
Guards Gabriela Jaquez and Gianna Kneepkens also drew first-round projections after UCLA's dominant tournament performance. Bleacher Report lists six total Bruins on its 2026 WNBA mock draft tally, potentially rivaling South Carolina's 2023 record.
LSU's Flau'jae Johnson remains a mock draft favorite despite inconsistent senior production, with analysts predicting the athletic wing to land between No. 5 and No. 6.
How to Watch the 2026 WNBA Draft
The 2026 WNBA Draft takes place on April 13th, live on ESPN.
Olivia Miles delivered a double-double on Sunday, registering 18 points and 10 rebounds to lift No. 3 seed TCU over No. 6 Washington 62-59 in an overtime Women's March Madness thriller.
The 31-5 Horned Frogs subsequently advanced to the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive season, extending its home winning streak to 44 games. TCU has now tied No. 1 seed Texas for the NCAA's longest active winning streak.
Miles had just four points at halftime, before taking over down the stretch. However, she missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer in regulation.
"I was crashing out multiple times. I was angry, I was feeling all the emotions because I didn't want to go home," the Notre Dame transfer said postgame. "It'd be a disservice for me not to be resilient for them, and for myself."
TCU's Clara Silva scored 16 points, including the go-ahead layup to start overtime. Silva also hit game-tying and tie-breaking baskets late in regulation, while Taylor Bigby added 15 points in the second-round win.
Sayvia Sellers led 22-11 Washington with 18 points, but missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer as time expired in overtime. Huskies guard Avery Howell scored 14 points while Brynn McGaughy added 13.
How to Watch TCU's Olivia Miles in Women's March Madness
TCU will next face No. 2 Iowa or No. 10 Virginia in the Sweet 16 on Saturday, after the Huskies fell short of their first Sweet 16 appearance since Kelsey Plum led them there in 2017.
Olivia Miles posted her 12th career triple-double as No. 3 seed TCU toppled No. 14 seed UC San Diego 86-40 in the 2026 Women's March Madness first round on Friday.
Miles finished the win with 12 points, 16 rebounds, and 14 assists, marking career highs in both rebounds and assists for the high-profile TCU transfer. What's more, her 14 assists set a new TCU single-game record.
The 30-5 Horned Frogs extended their home winning streak to 43 games, after jumping ahead early in the first quarter and failing to trail for the rest of the matchup.
Taylor Bigby led TCU with a career-high 27 points, while Clara Silva added 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Marta Suarez contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds. Three TCU players recorded double-doubles in the victory.
Olivia Miles already had a double-double at halftime with 10 rebounds and 10 assists to complement four points, as TCU led 48-25 at the break.
Miles became only the third player with multiple triple-doubles in Women's March Madness history, having previously recorded her with Notre Dame in 2022. In that NCAA tournament, she registered 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists against Massachusetts.
Sabrina Ionescu (Oregon, 2018-2019) and Nicole Powell (Stanford, 2002) are the only other players with multiple NCAA Tournament triple-doubles.
The last women's NCAA Tournament triple-double came from Iowa alum Caitlin Clark against Louisville in 2023, when Clark posted 41 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists.
Erin Condron led 24-9 UC San Diego with 12 points, after the Tritons secured a Women's March Madness berth for the second straight season under coach Heidi VanDerveer.
Up Next for TCU's Olivia Miles in the Women's March Madness Bracket
TCU will face the winner of Friday's Washington vs. South Dakota State game in the NCAA tournament's second round, where the Horned Frogs look to advance to the Sweet 16 for the second straight year.
Monday's NCAA basketball action will put two of the nation's top guards to the test, as No. 10 TCU faces No. 14 Ohio State in Newark, New Jersey's Coretta Scott King Classic — part of a stacked MLK Day slate.
Buckeye sophomore Jaloni Cambridge is on a tear in this season, averaging 21.8 points per game — good for No. 10 in the country — and tallying 102 points, 20 rebounds, and 20 assists across Ohio State's last three games.
At the same time, TCU has seen similar stylings from Notre Dame transfer Olivia Miles, with the senior putting up a career-high 19.2 points per game while sitting at No. 9 in the nation behind her 7.3 assists average for the Horned Frogs.
Even more, Miles is lapping her collegiate cohort in triple doubles on the season, posting four of the elite stat-sheet performances while all other NCAA players have a maximum of one.
Both teams are meeting expectations head-on this season, impressing following 2025 NCAA tournament exits that spurred significant offseason roster changes.
Ohio State star forward Cotie McMahon transferred to Ole Miss after the Buckeyes' second-round ousting, while TCU graduated standout starting guard Hailey Van Lith and center Sedona Prince.
With Miles and Cambridge leading the charge, however, both squads are flourishing: TCU faltered just once in their 2025/26 campaign so far — a January 3rd overtime loss to unranked Utah — while Ohio State's two season losses came at the hands of titans No. 1 UConn and No. 3 UCLA.
"Ultimately, [TCU forward] Marta [Suarez] and Miles are two of the best players in college basketball," Horned Frogs head coach Mark Campbell said after Sunday's win over Arizona State. "But for our team to reach our full potential, we need these other players to show great growth. And I think we have."
How to watch TCU vs. Ohio State basketball on Monday
The No. 10 Horned Frogs will take on the No. 14 Buckeyes at 12 PM ET on Monday, airing live on FOX.
Monday's AP Top 25 Poll featured few dramatics, as the Week 8 tally reflected another consistent slate from the 2025/26 NCAA basketball elite with only one shift in the Top 10 and marginal movement at the bottom.
Undefeated TCU keeps making gains, rising one spot to tie Oklahoma at No. 8 after taking down Big 12 foe Kansas State 77-55 behind senior guard Olivia Miles's 29-point performance on Saturday.
On the other hand, a 90-64 loss to No. 1 UConn on Saturday saw Iowa skid three spots, with the now-No. 14 Hawkeyes falling to a 1-2 record against ranked opponents this season.
Outside the relatively stationary Top 10, some blue chip programs are threatening to exit the AP Poll entirely after dropping ranked games last weekend.
Baylor experienced the greatest slide, dropping seven spots to No. 22 after falling 61-60 to Big 12 rival and rankings newcomer No. 21 Texas Tech on Sunday — the Bears' third loss in their season's four ranked games so far.
Tennessee saw a similar dip, plummeting six spots to No. 23 after losing to a surging No. 13 Louisville 89-65 on Saturday.
How to watch Top 25 NCAA basketball this week
The ranked action returns on Sunday, as No. 4 UCLA visits No. 19 Ohio State at 2 PM ET, live on the Big Ten Network.
2025/26 AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll: Week 8
1. UConn (12-0, Big East)
2. Texas (14-0, SEC)
3. South Carolina (12-1, SEC)
4. UCLA (11-1, Big Ten)
5. LSU (13-0, SEC)
6. Michigan (10-1, Big Ten)
7. Maryland (13-0, Big Ten)
T8. TCU (13-0, Big 12)
T8. Oklahoma (12-1, SEC)
10. Iowa State (13-0, Big 12)
11. Kentucky (12-1, SEC)
12. Vanderbilt (12-0, SEC)
13. Louisville (12-3, ACC)
14. Iowa (10-2, Big Ten)
15. Ole Miss (12-2, SEC)
16. UNC (11-3, ACC)
17. USC (9-3, Big Ten)
18. Notre Dame (9-2, ACC)
19. Ohio State (11-1, Big Ten)
20. Nebraska (12-0, Big Ten)
21. Texas Tech (14-0, Big 12)
22. Baylor (11-3, Big 12)
23. Tennessee (8-3, SEC)
24. Michigan State (11-1, Big Ten)
25. Princeton (12-1, Ivy)
Dallas has once again jumped to the front of the line, as the Wings locked down the No. 1 overall pick at the 2026 WNBA Draft, scoring the top draft selection for the second straight year at Sunday's lottery.
The Wings selected UConn star guard Paige Bueckers with last year's No. 1 pick, with the NCAA champion going on to win 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year.
"We've got an exciting young group, and we really bond together," said Dallas Wings forward and 2023's overall No. 3 draftee Maddy Siegrist. "I'm excited to bring someone else in."
In the rest of Sunday night's 2026 lottery results, the league's rich got richer, with 2025 WNBA playoff contenders the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm claiming the No. 2 and No. 3 picks, respectively, after both teams gained draft assets via trades.
The Washington Mystics will boost their already impressive young roster with the fourth draft pick in April, while the Chicago Sky snagged the fifth and final lottery spot on Sunday.
With 2026 WNBA season expanding to 15 teams, the league's two incoming expansion sides — the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire — will select in the Nos. 6 and 7 spots.
As for the 2026 class, top NCAA prospects including UConn guard Azzi Fudd, UCLA center Lauren Betts, and TCU guard Olivia Miles — as well as international star Awa Fam from Spain — are likely to earn early selections in April's WNBA Draft.
The 2025/26 NCAA basketball season is experiencing a slew of early shakeups, as Monday's Week 3 AP Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Poll saw numerous teams gain — and lose — significant ground.
While the reigning champion No. 1 UConn Huskies retained their spot at the top, No. 2 South Carolina earned three first-place votes after the Gamecocks claimed "The Real SC" title against then-No. 8 USC on Saturday — a clash that sent the Trojans sliding three spots to No. 11.
As the poll's biggest riser, No. 6 Michigan launched into the Top 10 this week, climbing eight spots after Saturday's statement win over now-No. 24 Notre Dame.
Preseason No. 7 Duke saw the biggest skid, falling out of the Top 25 altogether after Friday's upset loss to No. 23 West Virginia.
Jumping from No. 17 to 10, TCU emerged as the week's second biggest winner thanks to a ranked win over now-No. 16 NC State on Sunday.
TCU newcomer Olivia Miles registered a 15-point, 14-rebound double-double in the victory, with the star guard's performance complemented by a game-leading 26 points from fellow graduate transfer forward Marta Suarez.
"This is absolutely, 100%, 10-toes-down where I should be," Miles said earlier this season. "I have so much support around me to get me better and get more reps in. And that's just the energy at TCU."
How to watch Top 25 NCAA basketball this week
While Top 25 NCAA basketball teams are in action throughout the week, the ranked matchups will continue when No. 7 Baylor visits No. 19 Iowa at 9 PM ET on Thursday, airing live on ESPN2.
Friday will then serve up a ranked doubleheader, as No. 11 USC takes on No. 24 Notre Dame at 6 PM ET on ESPN before No. 1 UConn hosts No. 6 Michigan at 8 PM ET on Fox.
2025/26 AP Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Poll: Week 3
1. UConn (4-0, Big East)
2. South Carolina (4-0, SEC)
3. UCLA (5-0, Big Ten)
4. Texas (4-0, SEC)
5. LSU (5-0, SEC)
6. Michigan (3-0, Big Ten)
7. Baylor (4-0, Big 12)
8. Oklahoma (4-1, SEC)
9. Maryland (5-0, Big Ten)
10. TCU (4-0, Big 12)
11. USC (2-1, Big Ten)
12. Iowa State (5-0, Big 12)
13. Ole Miss (3-0, SEC)
14. UNC (3-1, ACC)
15. Tennessee (3-1, SEC)
16. NC State (2-2, ACC)
17. Vanderbilt (3-0, SEC)
18. Oklahoma State (5-0, Big 12)
19. Iowa (4-0, Big Ten)
20. Kentucky (5-0, SEC)
21. Louisville (3-1, ACC)
22. Michigan State (4-0, Big Ten)
23. West Virginia (4-0, Big 12)
24. Notre Dame (3-1, ACC)
25. Washington (3-0, Big Ten)
UConn basketball continues to pile on the preseason accolades, with ESPN's annual Top 25 women's NCAA player rankings listing star Sarah Strong at No. 1 ahead of her sophomore season with the Huskies.
Even more, UConn emerged as the only program with two Top 10 players, as ESPN put Strong's teammate Azzi Fudd at No. 8 entering her final NCAA season.
New UConn transfer Serah Williams also made the cut at No. 18, as the preseason AP No. 1 Huskies attempt to repeat their 2024/25 title despite losing superstar Paige Bueckers to the WNBA.
Last season's Final Four participants No. 2 Lauren Betts (UCLA), No. 4 Madison Booker (Texas), No. 11 Joyce Edwards (South Carolina), and No. 17 Kiki Rice (UCLA) round things out, accompanied by more individual standouts like No. 3 Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame) and No. 5 Flau'Jae Johnson (LSU).
The lineup also featured big-name offseason transfers, including highly touted newcomers No. 6 Olivia Miles (TCU), No. 7 Ta'Niya Latson (South Carolina), No. 14 Gianna Kneepkins (UCLA), and No. 19 MiLaysia Fulwiley (LSU).
Freshmen were not eligible for ESPN's preseason rankings, though NCAA debutants can make the updated list as it shifts throughout the year.
How to watch the ESPN Top 25 players in action
The NCAA basketball elite will tip off the 2025/26 season on Monday, with a full slate of games beginning at 11 AM ET.
The ESPN 2025/26 NCAA basketball preseason Top 25 players
1. Sarah Strong (UConn)
2. Lauren Betts (UCLA)
3. Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame)
4. Madison Booker (Texas)
5. Flau'Jae Johnson (LSU)
6. Olivia Miles (TCU)
7. Ta'Niyah Latson (South Carolina)
8. Azzi Fudd (UConn)
9. Mikayla Blakes (Vanderbilt)
10. Audi Crooks (Iowa State)
11. Joyce Edwards (South Carolina)
12. Mikaylah Williams (LSU)
13. Raegan Beers (Oklahoma)
14. Gianna Kneepkens (UCLA)
15. Kymora Johnson (Virginia)
16. Zoe Brooks (NC State)
17. Kiki Rice (UCLA)
18. Serah Williams (UConn)
19. MiLaysia Fulwiley (LSU)
20. Yarden Garzon (Maryland)
21. Talaysia Cooper (Tennessee)
22. Khamil Pierre (NC State)
23. Cotie McMahon (Ole Miss)
24. Toby Fournier (Duke)
25. Maggie Doogan (Richmond)
Fresh off the program's record-extending 12th national championship, the UConn Huskies will tip off the 2025/26 NCAA season as the top-ranked team on the preseason AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll.
The elite start marks the Huskies' first No. 1 preseason ranking since 2017, as returning starters like sophomore forward Sarah Strong and grad student guard Azzi Fudd prepare to defend their NCAA title.
"Hopefully, it's a little bit of a confidence builder and not, 'Oh my god!'" UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said of his team's poll results. "I'm happy for them…. You tend to finish the year where you're predicted, so I like being in this position."
All of last season's Final Four teams will begin their 2025/26 campaigns on a high note, with national runners-up South Carolina ranking second while UCLA snagged third and Texas fourth.
Not every ranked team remained as unchanged, however, as No. 15 Notre Dame and No. 18 USC saw expectations dip in the face of significant player turnover.
USC will be without superstar guard JuJu Watkins for the entirety of the upcoming season, as the 20-year-old Trojan continues to rehab an ACL tear suffered during 2025's March Madness.
As for Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish lost standouts Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld to the WNBA, with the team planning to re-center their approach around guard Hannah Hidalgo after celebrated point guard Olivia Miles transferred to No. 17 TCU.
The 2025/26 NCAA basketball season tips off on Monday, November 3rd.
The 2025/26 NCAA basketball preseason AP Top 25 poll
1. UConn (Big East)
2. South Carolina (SEC)
3. UCLA (Big Ten)
4. Texas (SEC)
5. LSU (SEC)
6. Oklahoma (SEC)
7. Duke (ACC)
8. Tennessee (SEC)
9. NC State (ACC)
10. Maryland (Big Ten)
11. UNC (ACC)
12. Ole Miss (SEC)
13. Michigan (Big Ten)
14. Iowa State (Big 12)
15. Notre Dame (ACC)
16. Baylor (Big 12)
17. TCU (Big 12)
18. USC (Big Ten)
19. Vanderbilt (SEC)
20. Louisville (ACC)
21. Iowa (Big Ten)
22. Oklahoma State (Big 12)
23. Michigan State (Big Ten)
T24. Kentucky (SEC)
T24. Richmond (Atlantic 10)
Notre Dame basketball star Hannah Hidalgo took the mic this week, telling reporters at Tuesday's ACC Media Day that she's eager to erase the memory of last season's March Madness crash-out.
"Knowing how much talent we had last year and underachieving like we did was something that was heartbreaking," the junior guard said, explaining that the one-time No. 1 Fighting Irish lost focus ahead of their Sweet 16 tournament exit.
Hidalgo, whose 23.8 points per game made her the fifth most prolific scorer in the NCAA last season, also vowed to step up as a leader this year in light of Notre Dame losing standouts Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld to the WNBA and fellow star guard Olivia Miles in a transfer to TCU.
"I know how to get the best out of my teammates, I know the steps that I need to take and the things that I need to do," said Hidalgo, dismissing questions about her rumored rift with Miles. "One of the most important things is building that relationship and that connection with my teammates off the court. It's bigger than basketball."
"I know the weight of [the spotlight] is heavy," Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey said of Hidalgo's role. "But I feel like she has done a great job of surrounding herself with the right network."