UConn Tops First Women's NCAA Tournament Seed Projection

SEC and Big Ten dominate top 16 seeds, with Vanderbilt earning rare No. 1 seed

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The NCAA selection committee has released its first projection of the top 16 seeds for the upcoming women's NCAA Tournament. Undefeated UConn was tabbed as the No. 1 overall seed, followed by UCLA, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt. The SEC and Big Ten conferences led the way with six top 16 seeds each, while the ACC, Big 12, and Big East had fewer representatives.

Why it matters

The top 16 seed projection provides an early look at which teams are positioning themselves for hosting rights and favorable tournament seeding. It also highlights the strength of certain conferences like the SEC and Big Ten, which have emerged as the dominant forces in women's college basketball this season.

The details

In this first projection, Vanderbilt earned a rare No. 1 seed, its first since 2002. Other notable inclusions were Ole Miss, which is projected to earn its highest seed since 1992, and Michigan State, which is slated to host opening weekend games for the first time since 2016. The committee will release a second projection in two weeks before announcing the official top 16 seeds on Selection Sunday.

  • The selection committee met in Indianapolis a few days ago to put together this initial top 16 seed projection.
  • The second projection of the top 16 seeds will be unveiled on Saturday, February 28.
  • The final top 16 seeds and hosting rights will be announced the day before Selection Sunday, on March 14.

The players

UConn

The undefeated UConn Huskies were tabbed as the No. 1 overall seed in the first top 16 projection.

UCLA

UCLA was projected as the No. 2 overall seed in the initial top 16 seed projection.

South Carolina

The South Carolina Gamecocks were slotted as the No. 3 overall seed in the first top 16 projection.

Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt earned a rare No. 1 seed in the initial top 16 projection, its first since 2002.

Ole Miss

If Ole Miss holds on to its projected seed, it would be the Rebels' highest since 1992.

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What’s next

The selection committee will unveil a second projection of the top 16 seeds in two weeks, on Saturday, Feb. 28. The day before Selection Sunday — March 14 — the committee will announce which teams earned top 16 seeds and hosting rights before revealing the full bracket.

The takeaway

This first top 16 seed projection highlights the strength of the SEC and Big Ten conferences in women's college basketball this season, with each landing six teams in the top 16. It also showcases the continued dominance of powerhouse programs like UConn, while providing opportunities for teams like Vanderbilt and Ole Miss to earn rare high seeds and hosting rights.