Region 4 SacramentoAustin1 Texas16 High Point – aq8 Indiana9 StanfordAmes5 USC12 Murray State – aq4 Iowa State – aq13 Stephen F. Austin – aqChapel Hill6 Iowa11 South Florida3 North Carolina14 Montana – aqBaton Rouge7 Ohio State10 SMU2 LSU15 Tennessee Tech – aq
By Charlie Creme Updated: 10/28/2025 at 9:15 a.m. ETThe final weeks leading into the 2025-26 season have reshaped expectations. A key injury to South Carolina’s Chloe Kitts shook up the order of the No. 1 seeds. The late transfer of Mallory Heyer impacts Minnesota’s status. And high-profile exhibition games altered the valuation of some teams — all reminders that the Bracketology wheel never stops turning. Check back on Nov. 11 for our first in-season update, but for now, here is the final edition of our preseason projections.
Bracket WatchTop Overall SeedUConnFirst Team OutColumbiaLast Team InGeorge MasonIt doesn’t seem possible that UConn could be better than it was with Paige Bueckers a season ago, but that doesn’t change that the Huskies are still well-positioned to win a second consecutive title. They remain the top overall seed while Kitts’ injury drops South Carolina to third overall and UCLA takes over at second, with Texas holding onto the fourth and final No. 1 seed. We’ll have a chance to see how the Gamecocks fare without Kitts before they start a difficult nonconference stretch in late November. Expect their seasonlong race against Texas and LSU in the SEC to have the biggest impact on who goes dancing as No. 1 seeds in March.
On the BubbleLast Four Byes SMU Villanova Florida State Illinois Last Four In Virginia Tech Georgia Minnesota George MasonFirst Four Out Columbia Kansas Florida Kansas StateNext Four Out Colorado Marquette Utah UNLV
Last Four Byes SMU Villanova Florida State Illinois
Last Four In Virginia Tech Georgia Minnesota George Mason
First Four Out Columbia Kansas Florida Kansas State
16Alabama A&M16Fairleigh Dickinson11Minnesota11George Mason11Virginia Tech11Georgia16NC A&T16Howard
Region 1 Fort WorthStorrs1 UConn – aq16 Alabama A&M – aq/ Fairleigh Dickinson – aq8 Miami9 AlabamaAnn Arbor5 Baylor12 San Diego State – aq4 Michigan13 Kent State – aqRaleigh6 Vanderbilt11 Minnesota/ George Mason3 NC State14 Liberty – aqKnoxville7 Princeton – aq10 Illinois2 Tennessee15 Maine – aq
Region 2 SacramentoLos Angeles1aq – UCLA16aq – UC Irvine8 West Virginia9 OregonLouisville5aq – Richmond12aq – Fairfield4 Louisville13aq – James MadisonCollege Park6aq – Oklahoma State11 Virginia Tech Georgia/3 Maryland14aq – ChattanoogaNorman7 Washington10 Florida State2 Oklahoma15aq – California Baptist
Region 3 Fort WorthColumbia1aq – South Carolina16aq – NC A&Taq – Howard/8 Virginia9 NebraskaSouth Bend5 TCU12aq – Green Bay4 Notre Dame13aq – GonzagaOxford6 Michigan State11aq – South Dakota State3 Ole Miss14aq – Central ArkansasDurham7 Kentucky10 Villanova2aq – Duke15aq – Army
The final weeks leading into the 2025-26 season have reshaped expectations. A key injury to South Carolina’s Chloe Kitts shook up the order of the No. 1 seeds. The late transfer of Mallory Heyer impacts Minnesota’s status. And high-profile exhibition games altered the valuation of some teams — all reminders that the Bracketology wheel never stops turning. Check back on Nov. 11 for our first in-season update, but for now, here is the final edition of our preseason projections.
68-Team Bracket16Alabama A&M16Fairleigh Dickinson11Minnesota11George Mason11Virginia Tech11Georgia16NC A&T16HowardRegion 1 Fort WorthStorrs1 UConn – aq16 Alabama A&M – aq/ Fairleigh Dickinson – aq8 Miami9 AlabamaAnn Arbor5 Baylor12 San Diego State – aq4 Michigan13 Kent State – aqRaleigh6 Vanderbilt11 Minnesota/ George Mason3 NC State14 Liberty – aqKnoxville7 Princeton – aq10 Illinois2 Tennessee15 Maine – aqRegion 4 SacramentoAustin1 Texas16 High Point – aq8 Indiana9 StanfordAmes5 USC12 Murray State – aq4 Iowa State – aq13 Stephen F. Austin – aqChapel Hill6 Iowa11 South Florida3 North Carolina14 Montana – aqBaton Rouge7 Ohio State10 SMU2 LSU15 Tennessee Tech – aqRegion 2 SacramentoLos Angeles1aq – UCLA16aq – UC Irvine8 West Virginia9 OregonLouisville5aq – Richmond12aq – Fairfield4 Louisville13aq – James MadisonCollege Park6aq – Oklahoma State11 Virginia Tech Georgia/3 Maryland14aq – ChattanoogaNorman7 Washington10 Florida State2 Oklahoma15aq – California BaptistRegion 3 Fort WorthColumbia1aq – South Carolina16aq – NC A&Taq – Howard/8 Virginia9 NebraskaSouth Bend5 TCU12aq – Green Bay4 Notre Dame13aq – GonzagaOxford6 Michigan State11aq – South Dakota State3 Ole Miss14aq – Central ArkansasDurham7 Kentucky10 Villanova2aq – Duke15aq – Army
It doesn’t seem possible that UConn could be better than it was with Paige Bueckers a season ago, but that doesn’t change that the Huskies are still well-positioned to win a second consecutive title. They remain the top overall seed while Kitts’ injury drops South Carolina to third overall and UCLA takes over at second, with Texas holding onto the fourth and final No. 1 seed. We’ll have a chance to see how the Gamecocks fare without Kitts before they start a difficult nonconference stretch in late November. Expect their seasonlong race against Texas and LSU in the SEC to have the biggest impact on who goes dancing as No. 1 seeds in March.
Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock
Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock
Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock
By Charlie Creme Updated: 10/28/2025 at 9:15 a.m. ETThe final weeks leading into the 2025-26 season have reshaped expectations. A key injury to South Carolina’s Chloe Kitts shook up the order of the No. 1 seeds. The late transfer of Mallory Heyer impacts Minnesota’s status. And high-profile exhibition games altered the valuation of some teams — all reminders that the Bracketology wheel never stops turning. Check back on Nov. 11 for our first in-season update, but for now, here is the final edition of our preseason projections.
Bracket WatchTop Overall SeedUConnFirst Team OutColumbiaLast Team InGeorge MasonIt doesn’t seem possible that UConn could be better than it was with Paige Bueckers a season ago, but that doesn’t change that the Huskies are still well-positioned to win a second consecutive title. They remain the top overall seed while Kitts’ injury drops South Carolina to third overall and UCLA takes over at second, with Texas holding onto the fourth and final No. 1 seed. We’ll have a chance to see how the Gamecocks fare without Kitts before they start a difficult nonconference stretch in late November. Expect their seasonlong race against Texas and LSU in the SEC to have the biggest impact on who goes dancing as No. 1 seeds in March.On the BubbleLast Four Byes SMU Villanova Florida State Illinois Last Four In Virginia Tech Georgia Minnesota George MasonFirst Four Out Columbia Kansas Florida Kansas StateNext Four Out Colorado Marquette Utah UNLV
Top Overall SeedUConnFirst Team OutColumbiaLast Team InGeorge Mason
Last Four Byes SMU Villanova Florida State Illinois Last Four In Virginia Tech Georgia Minnesota George MasonFirst Four Out Columbia Kansas Florida Kansas StateNext Four Out Colorado Marquette Utah UNLV
16Alabama A&M16Fairleigh Dickinson11Minnesota11George Mason11Virginia Tech11Georgia16NC A&T16Howard
16Alabama A&M16Fairleigh Dickinson11Minnesota11George Mason11Virginia Tech11Georgia16NC A&T16Howard
Region 1 Fort WorthStorrs1 UConn – aq16 Alabama A&M – aq/ Fairleigh Dickinson – aq8 Miami9 AlabamaAnn Arbor5 Baylor12 San Diego State – aq4 Michigan13 Kent State – aqRaleigh6 Vanderbilt11 Minnesota/ George Mason3 NC State14 Liberty – aqKnoxville7 Princeton – aq10 Illinois2 Tennessee15 Maine – aqRegion 4 SacramentoAustin1 Texas16 High Point – aq8 Indiana9 StanfordAmes5 USC12 Murray State – aq4 Iowa State – aq13 Stephen F. Austin – aqChapel Hill6 Iowa11 South Florida3 North Carolina14 Montana – aqBaton Rouge7 Ohio State10 SMU2 LSU15 Tennessee Tech – aqRegion 2 SacramentoLos Angeles1aq – UCLA16aq – UC Irvine8 West Virginia9 OregonLouisville5aq – Richmond12aq – Fairfield4 Louisville13aq – James MadisonCollege Park6aq – Oklahoma State11 Virginia Tech Georgia/3 Maryland14aq – ChattanoogaNorman7 Washington10 Florida State2 Oklahoma15aq – California BaptistRegion 3 Fort WorthColumbia1aq – South Carolina16aq – NC A&Taq – Howard/8 Virginia9 NebraskaSouth Bend5 TCU12aq – Green Bay4 Notre Dame13aq – GonzagaOxford6 Michigan State11aq – South Dakota State3 Ole Miss14aq – Central ArkansasDurham7 Kentucky10 Villanova2aq – Duke15aq – Army
By Charlie Creme Updated: 10/28/2025 at 9:15 a.m. ET
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