Talent Over Questions: GamecockCentral’s Unofficial Top 25 Puts South Carolina on Top, and USC Chasing

With the 2026-27 women’s basketball season three weeks away, GamecockCentral released its unofficial preseason top 25 ahead of the official polls.

The Top Ten

1. South Carolina: The author’s one worry is the lack of a point guard, but still calls this the most talented 15-player roster in the country. It is also experienced and knows how to win big games.

2. Southern Cal: The Trojans have the second-most talented group and the nation’s best player, Juju Watkins. The concern is balance: their best players share a position, and there are questions at the one and the five.

3. UConn: The Huskies have Sarah Strong, the reigning national player of the year, but lost Azzi Fudd. The writer notes South Carolina took Fudd away in the Final Four, and Strong and UConn couldn’t score. UConn should adapt after a full offseason, but the concern keeps them below the Trojans.

4. Vanderbilt: After a breakthrough season with some growing pains, the Commodores should improve. They have Mikayla Blakes, ranked just behind Watkins and Strong, and sophomore point guard Aubrey Galvan, a freshman “revelation.”

5. Iowa: The author had Michigan here before an injury changed the order. Under Jan Jensen, the Hawkeyes have become a national recruiting force. Top-ten recruit McKenna Woliczko and transfer Dani Carnegie join post Ava Heiden and point guard Chit-Chat Wright on a deep roster.

6. Duke: The writer says he still doesn’t trust Kara Lawson to win a big game, and is tired of hearing that this is the year Duke breaks through. But the Blue Devils are deep and talented, with Elite Eight trips in each of the past two seasons, so the spot seems right.

7. Texas: Trust is even lower here. The Longhorns lost nearly every key player except Madison Booker, and need three or four freshmen to be clutch immediately, which the writer calls “a big ask.”

8. Michigan: The Wolverines have built several solid classes and play an unusual five-out style where everyone is essentially a lead guard. The loss of lead guard Mila Holloway to a lower leg injury, though she is expected back this season, hurts.

9. Louisville: Jeff Walz usually gets the Cardinals to about this spot, and he has talent: Taj Roberts, Imari Berry, Elif Istanbulluoglu, plus transfers Zam Jones and Deniya Prawl.

10. North Carolina: The author expects a jump, thanks to transfer Achol Akot and the No. 4 recruit, Kate Harpring. Offense has held the Tar Heels back, but the talent is there.

Remaining Rankings

11. LSU
12. Kentucky
13. UCLA
14. Ole Miss
15. Ohio State
16. Notre Dame
17. Maryland
18. Oklahoma State
19. Washington
20. Oklahoma
21. TCU
22. Virginia
23. Minnesota
24. West Virginia
25. USF

Analysis

• Roster talent beats stability. South Carolina earns the top spot despite its point guard question, and the recent GG Banks commitment addresses that need long term.
• Balance matters. USC and Texas are both docked for roster construction rather than talent.
• Injuries reshape the poll. Holloway’s injury moved Michigan from fifth to eighth.
• Duke’s skeptic ranking: The Blue Devils get credit for depth and recent results but not for trust in late-round success.

Conclusion

The list reflects an era where transfers and recruiting classes change contenders overnight. South Carolina is the favorite on paper, but with Watkins, Strong and Blakes leading the challengers, the writer’s caution about unknowns feels fair. The official polls will test whether other voters agree.

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