Notre Dame Women's Basketball Ascends to No. 1 in AP Poll

Notre Dame is ranked No. 1 for the first time under head coach Niele Ivey

Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo (3) checks out of a NCAA women's basketball game between Notre Dame and SMU at Purcell Pavilion on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The new AP Poll is out for women's basketball and for the first time since January of 2019, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish find themselves at No. 1.

This comes after previously unbeaten UCLA lost at USC last week, moving the Irish up from No. 2. Notre Dame disposed of Pitt on the road last week and hosts a very talented Duke squad on Monday evening.

top of the nation but our story’s far from finished ☘️#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/LUdEVTFgQa

— Notre Dame Women's Basketball (@ndwbb) February 17, 2025

The freshly released AP Poll went from seeing every vote being for UCLA to be No. 1 last week to having three different teams receive No. 1 votes this week.

Notre Dame checked in first, receiving the No. 1 ranking on 16 of the 30 ballots. Also receiving No. 1 votes were Texas (8) and UCLA (6).

Notre Dame's Dominance of the Top 5

Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey coaches guard Hannah Hidalgo (3) during a NCAA women's basketball game between Notre Dame and SMU at Purcell Pavilion on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame is not only ranked No. 1 but has played its best basketball in its biggest games this season. It has regular season wins over No. 2 Texas, at No. 4 USC, and over No. 5 UConn.

In beating USC on the road, it also disposed of the only team to beat No. 3 UCLA so far this season.

Notre Dame has five regular season games remaining, starting with No. 11 Duke who is in town on Monday night.

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