UCLA Women’s Basketball Lands Elite Ranking in Impressive Top 25

The Bruins are one of the most talented teams ahead of the new season.

Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) dribbles against Connecticut Huskies center Jana El Alfy (8) during the third quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins women's basketball season is closer than ever, as indicated by the first official preseason AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll, which was released on Tuesday.

Apr 3, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts during press conference at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Behind staunch returners like Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez, and impact transfers like Gianna Kneepkens, Cori Close's Bruins are among the teams with the highest ceiling in the sport coming off a Final Four appearance last year.

UCLA is No. 3 in the nation in the first official AP poll, sitting behind UConn and South Carolina. The Huskies got 27 votes for first place, and the Gamecocks got four. They were the only two teams to receive first-place votes.

The full Top 25 is below:

1. UConn
2. South Carolina
3. UCLA
4. Texas
5. LSU
6. Oklahoma
7. Duke
8. Tennessee
9. NC State
10. Maryland
11. North Carolina
12. Ole Miss
13. Michigan
14. Iowa State
15. Notre Dame
16. Baylor
17. TCU
18. USC
19. Vanderbilt
20. Louisville
21. Iowa
22. Oklahoma State
23. Michigan State
24. Kentucky
25. Richmond

Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close reacts during the third quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the Connecticut Huskies at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Others receiving votes:

• Washington (79)
• Ohio State (46)
• West Virginia (17)
• Princeton (17)
• Minnesota (15)
• Kansas State (15)
• Kansas (7)
• Stanford (3)
• South Dakota State (3)
• Illinois (2)
• Nebraska (2)
• Columbia (2)

Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Janiah Barker (0) high fives head coach Cori Close during the fourth quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the Connecticut Huskies at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Many of UCLA's Big Ten opponents are ranked.

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UCLA Reveals 25-26 Big Ten Women's Basketball Schedule

Basketball is almost back in Westwood, and it just got one step closer and the UCLA Bruins 2025-26 Big Ten Conference schedule for women's basketball was revealed.

Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Kiki Rice (1) leaves the court during the fourth quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the Connecticut Huskies at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Bruins are coming off a dominant season, where they made the Final Four and lost to the eventual national champion UConn Huskies.

UCLA is on the verge of revenge after bolstering its roster. Here's the schedule:

Sunday, Dec. 7 – Oregon
Sunday, Dec. 28 - @ Ohio State
Wednesday, Dec. 31 - @ Penn State
Saturday, Jan. 3 – USC
Sunday, Jan. 11 – @ Nebraska
Wednesday, Jan. 14 – @ Minnesota

Mar 30, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; LSU Lady Tigers forward Sa'Myah Smith (5) rebonds against UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) during the second half of an Elite 8 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

Sunday, Jan. 18 – Maryland
Wednesday, Jan. 21 – Purdue
Sunday, Jan. 25 – @ Northwestern
Wednesday, Jan. 28 – @ Illinois
Sunday, Feb. 1 – Iowa
Wednesday, Feb. 4 – Rutgers
Sunday, Feb. 8 – @ Michigan
Wednesday, Feb. 11 – @ Michigan State
Sunday, Feb. 15 – Indiana
Thursday, Feb. 19 – Washington
Sunday, Feb. 22 – Wisconsin
Saturday, March 1 – @ USC
March 4-8 – 2025 TIAA Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament

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