The Southeastern Conference set a record with 10 teams in The Associated Press women's Top 25 basketball poll released Monday. This is a massive milestone for the conference and represents unprecedented depth in women's college basketball.
UConn remains the unanimous No. 1 choice from the 31-member national media panel. The Huskies are the only undefeated team remaining in women's college basketball, carrying a 37-game winning streak dating to last season. The Huskies are running away with this season, and no other team has managed to stay perfect. UCLA climbed to No. 2 following South Carolina's overtime loss to Oklahoma.
The Gamecocks fell to third, leading a group of four SEC teams at the top, including No. 4 Texas, No. 5 Vanderbilt and No. 6 LSU. Georgia entering at No. 23 after their win over then-No. 11 Kentucky pushed the conference to this historic milestone. The SEC's 10-team showing outpaces all other conferences. The Big Ten follows with seven ranked teams, while the Big 12 has four. The Atlantic Coast Conference has two, and the Big East and Ivy League each have one.
This dominance shows just how strong SEC women's basketball has become. While the men's conference achieved 10 ranked teams for a few weeks last season, this is the first time the women's side has reached this level. The balance of power in women's college basketball is clearly centered in the South, and the competition between these SEC teams will shape the NCAA Tournament race all season long.