NCAA Women's Basketball Committee Unveils Top 16 Seeds

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

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The NCAA women's basketball committee has announced its second rankings for the projected No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 seeds in the 2026 women's NCAA Tournament. UConn, UCLA, South Carolina, and Texas were named as the top seeds, with the major conference tournaments set to begin this week. The actual NCAA women's basketball tournament bracket will be revealed on Sunday, March 15.

Why it matters

The committee's rankings provide an early look at the top contenders for the 2026 NCAA women's basketball tournament, giving fans and analysts a sense of which teams are poised to make deep runs in the tournament. These rankings will help shape the narrative and expectations heading into March Madness.

The details

According to the committee's rankings, UConn, UCLA, South Carolina, and Texas were named as the No. 1 seeds. UConn was 29-0 overall and 19-0 in the Big East, while UCLA was 27-1 overall and 17-0 in the Big Ten. South Carolina was 28-2 overall and 14-1 in the SEC, and Texas was 27-3 overall and 12-3 in SEC play.

  • The major conference tournaments begin this week.
  • The actual NCAA women's basketball tournament bracket will be revealed on Sunday, March 15 at 5 p.m. MST on ESPN.
  • For the first time, the committee will announce the top 16 teams in the field, in alphabetical order, on Saturday, March 14, with a time and network yet to be announced.
  • The 2026 NCAA Women's Final Four will be played April 3 and 5 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix.

The players

UConn

A women's basketball powerhouse and the No. 1 overall seed in the committee's rankings.

UCLA

The No. 2 overall seed, with a 27-1 overall record and a perfect 17-0 mark in the Big Ten.

South Carolina

The No. 3 overall seed, with a 28-2 overall record and a 14-1 record in the SEC.

Texas

The No. 4 overall seed, with a 27-3 overall record and a 12-3 mark in SEC play.

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What’s next

The actual NCAA women's basketball tournament bracket will be revealed on Sunday, March 15 at 5 p.m. MST on ESPN.

The takeaway

The committee's rankings provide an early glimpse into the top contenders for the 2026 NCAA women's basketball tournament, with UConn, UCLA, South Carolina, and Texas emerging as the clear favorites to earn No. 1 seeds. As the major conference tournaments get underway, these rankings will help shape the narrative and expectations heading into March Madness.