South Carolina WBB rises to No. 1 in early Top 25 for next season. Here’s why
The Athletic listed Dawn Staley and the South Carolina women’s basketball team at No. 4 in its way-too-early 2026-27 rankings just a day after the Gamecocks lost in the national championship to UCLA.
Two weeks later, the national outlet has changed its tune.
South Carolina was ranked No. 1 in The Athletic’s latest version of its early top 25, released Monday and factoring in transfer portal additions. The Gamecocks jumped UConn and Southern Cal, who stood still at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. Texas was in the No. 1 spot a few weeks ago but tumbled to No. 13 after losing key players in the transfer portal.
“South Carolina was fourth two weeks ago, but the Gamecocks brought in Jordan Lee while teams ahead of them either treaded water … or were Texas,” The Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant wrote.
The Athletic credited the depth of South Carolina’s roster next year for why the Gamecocks rose in its rankings. South Carolina will return nine players next season and add four freshmen (three of which are five-star recruits) and a big time transfer in Texas guard Jordan Lee.
“The 2026 runners-up can put out a starting five of Maddy McDaniel, Tessa Johnson, Jordan Lee, Joyce Edwards and Ashlyn Watkins with Chloe Kitts, Agot Makeer, Alicia Tournebize, Ayla McDowell and four top-30 freshmen off the bench. (The rich got richer when third-ranked Oliviyah Edwards flipped from Tennessee to its SEC rival.),” Merchant wrote. “It’s a return to the South Carolina squads of yore with double-digit rotation depth. After a season when coach Dawn Staley had to let her players work through mistakes, she once again has to manage the egos and minutes of a stacked roster. But it’s one that gives the Gamecocks coaching staff plenty of options.”
The Athletic’s Post Transfer Portal Top 25
Note: Team’s ranking in The Athletic’s new way-too-early rankings, with their previous rank listed after “--“
- No. 1 South Carolina -- previous ranking: No. 4
- No. 2 UConn -- No. 2
- No. 3 Southern Cal -- No. 3
- No. 4 Michigan -- No. 6
- No. 5 Notre Dame -- No. 5
- No. 6 LSU -- No. 7
- No. 7 Louisville -- No. 9
- No. 8 Vanderbilt -- No. 8
- No. 9 Minnesota -- No. 12
- No. 10 Duke -- No. 17
- No. 11 Washington -- No. 13
- No. 12 UCLA -- No. 25
- No. 13 Texas -- No. 1
- No. 14 Iowa -- No. 10
- No. 15 Nebraska -- No. 11
- No. 16 TCU -- Unranked
- No. 17 Oklahoma -- No. 14
- No. 18 Maryland -- No. 15
- No. 19 Kentucky -- No. 16
- No. 20 Ole Miss -- Unranked
- No. 21 Kansas -- No. 18
- No. 22 North Carolina -- No. 19
- No 23 Illinois -- No. 23
- No. 24 Ohio State -- No. 24
- No. 25 Oklahoma State -- No. 25
- Also considered: Kansas State, Michigan State, Arizona State
