The South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball program continues to cement its position among the nation’s elite, maintaining a firm grip on the third spot in the most recent Associated Press Top 25 poll. As the 2025-2026 season progresses, Coach Dawn Staley’s squad has demonstrated remarkable consistency despite facing challenges both on and off the court.
Current Standing and Season Performance
Following a commanding 40-point victory against Penn State at Colonial Life Arena, South Carolina improved to 10-1 on the season . The win was particularly impressive given the circumstances, as the Gamecocks were shorthanded with just eight available players .
In the latest AP poll rankings, South Carolina ranks third nationally, trailing the UConn Huskies and Texas Longhorns . The voting breakdown shows Connecticut’s dominance, as UConn remained at number one and carries 24 first-place votes, while Texas earned eight first-place nods. Notably, South Carolina has yet to receive a first-place vote this season.
A Historic Streak of Excellence
The Gamecocks’ current ranking is part of an extraordinary run of sustained excellence. South Carolina has not been below seventh in the AP poll at any point since the preseason poll ahead of the 2019-2020 season . That particular campaign ended on a high note, as the Gamecocks finished as the number one team in the country before the pandemic canceled the NCAA Tournament .
Interestingly, the 2025-2026 season marks the first time since 2018-2019 that South Carolina has not yet reached the top spot in the rankings . This statistical quirk represents a departure from recent trends, though the program remains firmly entrenched among the nation’s best.
Conference Strength and Competition
Within the Southeastern Conference, South Carolina’s third-place ranking is second in the SEC behind Texas, and the Gamecocks are one of eight total Southeastern Conference teams ranked in the top 25 . This depth of talent throughout the conference underscores the challenging schedule that lies ahead for Staley’s team.
The remaining schedule is particularly daunting. South Carolina faces games against 10 currently ranked opponents this season . Their resume already includes victories over Southern Cal (ranked 19th) and Louisville (ranked 16th), balanced against a loss to second-ranked Texas .
Looking forward, the Gamecocks must navigate matchups against Texas again, along with contests against Oklahoma (eighth), Vanderbilt (13th), Tennessee (17th), LSU (fifth), Ole Miss (14th), and Kentucky (12th) . Additionally, they will face Alabama and Georgia in SEC play, teams currently receiving votes in the poll .
Recent Results and Road Ahead
South Carolina’s recent performances have showcased their dominance when healthy. The program has demonstrated its ability to win decisively even when facing adversity with a depleted roster. The impressive victory margin against Penn State, achieved with limited personnel, speaks to both the team’s depth of talent and Staley’s coaching acumen.
South Carolina boasts an 89-game win streak against unranked opponents, the longest such streak in Division I women’s basketball . This remarkable consistency against lesser competition has become a hallmark of the program under Staley’s leadership.
The Gamecocks’ immediate schedule includes non-conference action before diving into the heart of SEC competition. South Carolina will host Providence on Sunday, December 28th at noon, with the game broadcast on SEC Network . Following that contest, the team traveled to Tampa on Thursday to face South Florida at 7:00 p.m. in a game broadcast on ESPN2 , then headed to Fort Myers on Saturday for a matchup against Florida Gulf Coast at 2:00 p.m., available via streaming on ESPN+ .
Voting Breakdown and National Perception
The AP poll voting reveals interesting patterns in how voters perceive South Carolina. All 32 AP voters included the Gamecocks in their top five, with 31 listing them among the top four overall teams . However, none of them included South Carolina in the top two, as every voter placed both UConn and Texas ahead of the Gamecocks .
Within the SEC hierarchy, only one voter ranked LSU ahead of South Carolina, indicating that the Gamecocks are considered the second-best team in the SEC on 31 of 32 ballots . Meanwhile, eight voters placed UCLA ahead of South Carolina , suggesting some variation in how voters assess the Gamecocks against elite non-conference competition.
Looking Forward
As the season progresses toward conference play, South Carolina faces a critical stretch that will determine whether they can climb back to the top spot they’ve occupied so frequently in recent years. The combination of a challenging schedule, key injuries to manage, and the need to maintain consistency against ranked opponents presents both obstacles and opportunities.
With Staley at the helm and a roster that has proven capable of competing with anyone in the nation, the Gamecocks remain well-positioned to make another deep postseason run. Their third-place ranking, while lower than some recent seasons, still reflects a program operating at an elite level with national championship aspirations firmly intact.
