NCAA Women's Basketball Committee Reveals Top 16 Seeds

UConn, UCLA, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt named as No. 1 seeds

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The NCAA women's basketball selection committee has revealed its first look at the top 16 seeds for the upcoming NCAA Tournament. UConn, UCLA, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt were named as the No. 1 seeds, with the Huskies earning the overall top seed. The committee used 12 criteria to determine the seedings, looking at factors like overall record and 'observable components' of each team's performance.

Why it matters

The early reveal of the top 16 seeds gives teams and fans an idea of where they stand heading into the final stretch of the regular season. It also highlights the competitive nature of women's college basketball, with several top teams battling for the coveted No. 1 seeds that come with hosting the first two rounds of the tournament.

The details

According to the committee chair Amanda Braun, the decision to slot UConn and UCLA as the top two overall seeds came down to their impressive overall records and 'observable components' of their play. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt moved up to a No. 1 seed after beating Texas on Thursday. The SEC and Big Ten each have six teams in the top 16, underscoring the depth of talent across the country.

  • The NCAA basketball selection committee revealed the first look at the top 16 seeds on Saturday, February 15, 2026.
  • The committee will have one more reveal on March 1, 2026 before the final bracket is announced on March 15, 2026.

The players

UConn

The undefeated UConn Huskies were named the overall No. 1 seed, edging out UCLA for the top spot.

UCLA

The UCLA Bruins were slotted as the No. 2 overall seed behind UConn.

South Carolina

The South Carolina Gamecocks were named a No. 1 seed and will host the first and second rounds of the tournament in the Fort Worth Regional.

Vanderbilt

The Vanderbilt Commodores moved up to a No. 1 seed after beating Texas on Thursday, earning a spot in the Sacramento Regional.

Amanda Braun

The NCAA women's basketball selection committee chair who spoke about the criteria used to determine the top 16 seeds.

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What they’re saying

“Some are subjective there and some data driven. The overall record for UConn and the observable component are impressive. UCLA observable is also very strong as well.”

— Amanda Braun, NCAA women's basketball selection committee chair (wbal.com)

“It was that close between the two of them that head-to-head made a difference. We were impressed by both teams.”

— Amanda Braun, NCAA women's basketball selection committee chair (wbal.com)

What’s next

The NCAA will have one more reveal on March 1, 2026 before the final bracket is announced on March 15, 2026.

The takeaway

The early reveal of the top 16 seeds highlights the competitive landscape of women's college basketball, with several powerhouse programs battling for the coveted No. 1 seeds. The selection committee's focus on both objective and subjective criteria underscores the nuanced process of determining tournament seeding.