The best again: South Carolina women’s basketball predicted to win SEC
The SEC released its 2025-26 women’s basketball predicted order of finish Monday with a familiar team on top: the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks have been No. 1 in the SEC media’s preseason poll for the last fifth time in six years. South Carolina has won the SEC regular-season crown in each of the last four years and has won three SEC tournament titles in a row.
The media predicted USC to finish No. 1 in the SEC in 2025-26, followed by No. 2 Texas, No. 3 LSU, No. 4 Tennessee, No. 5 Oklahoma, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 7 Vanderbilt, No. 8 Kentucky, No. 9 Alabama, No. 10 Mississippi State, No. 11 Florida, No. 12 Georgia, No. 13 Missouri, No. 14 Texas A&M, No. 15 Auburn and No. 16 Arkansas.
Last season, South Carolina finished tied with Texas atop the SEC standings at 15-1. A coin flip from SEC commissioner Greg Sankey gave the Gamecocks the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. South Carolina ultimately beat the Longhorns in the SEC Tournament championship game.
The Gamecocks finished the 2024-25 season 35-4 with a loss to UConn in the national championship game.
Staley will speak Tuesday at the SEC Tipoff preseason media event in Birmingham, Alabama along with players Joyce Edwards and Ta’Niya Latson.
USC has a pair of exhibition games coming up at the end of October (Oct. 24 vs. Anderson, and Oct. 30 in Atlanta against UNC). The Gamecocks open the regular season Nov. 3 at home against Grand Canyon.
All-SEC honors
South Carolina had two players named to preseason All-SEC teams. Sophomore forward Joyce Edwards was named to the All-SEC First Team and senior transfer guard Ta’Niya Latson earned a All-SEC Second Team nod.
Texas star Madison Booker was named the SEC’s Preseason Player of the Year. Latson also received votes for the award.
Booker and Edwards were joined by LSU’s Flau’Jae Johnson, Oklahoma’s Raegan Beers and Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes on the Preseason All-SEC First Team.
Kentucky’s Clara Strack, LSU’s Mikayla Williams, Ole Miss’ Cotie McMahon, Tennessee’s Talaysia Cooper and Texas’ Rori Harmon joined Latson on the Preseason All-SEC Second Team.
This story was originally published October 13, 2025 at 10:59 AM.
