Virginia Ranked In The Top 25 Of The Final AP College Basketball Poll For The 2025-2026 Season

The Hoos get a top 25 ranking at the end of the season.

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Virginia Cavaliers forward Devin Tillis (11) reacts in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Virginia Cavaliers finish the season ranked No.17 in the final AP Poll for the 2025-2026 basketball season. They are the second-highest rated team in the ACC in the final ranking, only Duke is rated higher at No.4. Louisville, No.23 and Miami, No.24, are the only other ACC teams listed. Virginia proved this past year why they were one of the better teams in college basketball and got rewarded for it at the end. The AP Poll was one of the polls that had them rated lower, with the Field Of 68 having the Hoos in the top 10 in its Way Too Early Projections for next season. 

FINAL: College Basketball AP Poll🏀https://t.co/uGKhIiA5ol pic.twitter.com/lck5fmIvGc

— On3 (@On3) April 7, 2026

Despite the lower AP Poll ranking, it was a largely successful season for the Cavaliers, who finished with 30 wins in the first season with head coach Ryan Odom. They had a true freshman star and a number of complementary players who played at a high level. They were on the verge of winning the ACC tournament championship but fell just short to Duke, 74-70, in the title game. Virginia would then go on to the NCAA tournament. The Hoos defeated Wright State 82-73 in the first round, but fell to a gritty Tennessee team 79-72 in the second round of the tournament. 

The good news for the Cavaliers is that Thijs De Ridder, Chance Mallory, and Joahnn Grunloh also announced they would be returning to Charlottesville for another season. De Ridder was an All-ACC forward this past season, Mallory was one of the top guards in the conference, and Grunloh got better as the season went on, showcasing his shot-blocking presence. 

They will have to replace Devin Tillis, Ugonna Onyenso, Dallin Hall, Malik Thomas, and Jacari White. It is unknown what Sam Lewis will end up doing with one more year of eligibility left. No plans have been announced yet. Despite the disappointing tournament finish, the Cavaliers have a good chunk of their core coming back next season. With the portal open, they will have to be active so the team can take the next step. They currently don’t have any recruits for the 2026 cycle, so they will have to be aggressive. 

After watching what Coach Odom did in his first season, Cavalier fans should be confident in the direction of the team and what they can accomplish next season. They have all the tools, coaching, talent, and players to make a run like what we saw from the Volunteers this past season. Now they have to hit on the portal, like they did last season, to make it a reality.