As January comes to a close, NCAA women’s basketball has already taken shape. New stars have emerged. Traditional powers are reasserting themselves. And the road to Phoenix is beginning to look wide open. From UConn’s undefeated run to Audi Crooks’ record-setting surge, here are the five biggest storylines shaping the 2026 season.

1. The Rise of Powerhouse Conferences

The SEC is rewriting history. The conference recently set a record by placing 10 teams in the AP Women’s Top 25 poll. Georgia climbed to No. 23 after knocking off then-No. 11 Kentucky, giving the SEC the most ranked teams in a single week in the poll’s 50-year history. Simply put, the depth across the conference is unmatched right now.

2. How UConn and Other Elite Programs Maintain Dominance

UConn remains the unanimous No. 1 team in the AP Women’s Top 25, earning all 31 first-place votes from the national media panel. The Huskies are also the last undefeated team left. Their winning streak now sits at 37 games, dating back to last season.

UCLA holds the No. 2 spot after South Carolina’s overtime loss to Oklahoma. The Gamecocks are third, leading a strong group of SEC contenders. Texas stands fourth, followed by Vanderbilt at fifth and LSU at sixth.

3. The Biggest Breakout Player of the Season

That title belongs to Audi Crooks. The Iowa State star leads Division I in scoring and has delivered multiple 30-point performances. She’s also riding a long streak of double-digit scoring games.

Last season, she set Iowa State’s single-game scoring record with 43 points in just 20 minutes. She followed that with a 47-point outing in another game, cementing her rise as one of the nation’s most dominant scorers.

4. Midseason MVP Candidates

As March Madness approaches, several stars are separating themselves. 

Sarah Strong of UConn has been the most complete player in the country, dominating on both ends of the floor.  Madison Booker continues to shine as an all-around force and reigning SEC Player of the Year. Azzi Fudd is one of the nation’s elite shooters. 

Then there’s Olivia Miles, who stands out as a premier passer with multiple triple-doubles already this season.

5. Conference Surprises and Upsets

Well, even upsets are reshaping the picture as teams approach March Madness. No. 25 Washington stunned No. 16 Maryland with an 83–80 double-overtime win. Then, there’s Wisconsin exceeding expectations with impressive victories over ranked teams like Nebraska and Oregon.

Meanwhile, No. 12 TCU delivered a convincing win over UConn and has surged near the top of the Big 12 standings. So clearly, the league is proving deeper and more competitive than preseason projections suggested. With two months left before March, the chaos and excitement are only just beginning.

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar