South Carolina has achieved another milestone in their perfect season by finishing at the top of the first Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll released after the NCAA Tournament. The Gamecocks, who won their second national title in three years, received all 35 first-place votes from a national media panel. This marks the first time in the history of the women’s Top 25 that the final poll has been released after the tournament, with South Carolina being ranked No. 1 for most of the season and going undefeated at 38-0.
Following South Carolina in the rankings was Iowa at No. 2, marking their best finish since 1988 when they also finished second in the final poll. Final Four participants UConn and N.C. State were ranked third and fourth respectively, with North Carolina State making a significant jump from being unranked in the preseason to reaching a high of third place in the final poll. USC also made a notable appearance in the rankings, finishing fifth and earning their first ranking in the final poll since 2014.
Teams such as LSU, Texas, and Oregon State, which reached the Elite Eight, as well as Stanford and UCLA rounded out the top 10 in the final AP Top 25 poll. Duke, West Virginia, and Iowa State made it into the rankings after strong performances in the NCAA tournament, while UNLV, Fairfield, and Louisville fell out of the rankings following losses in the first round. The Pac-12 conference had a strong showing with seven teams in the tournament and five reaching the Sweet 16, with six teams in the season-ending Top 25.
The Big 12 conference also had six teams in the rankings, followed by the ACC with five teams, the Big Ten with three, and the SEC and Big East with two teams each. The West Coast Conference had Gonzaga representing them in the rankings. This season was a notable one for various teams across different conferences, with highlights including South Carolina’s undefeated season and Iowa’s second-place finish in the final AP Top 25 poll. Fans can stay updated on AP Top 25 women’s college basketball throughout the season by signing up for alerts and updates.
