UVA Basketball Earns Top-10 Ranking at Season’s Dawn

The first AP Poll of the 2026-27 campaign has a favorable result for the Cavaliers

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Virginia Cavaliers center Johann Grünloh (17) blocks a lay up from Wright State Raiders guard Solomon Callaghan (13) during the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The first AP Poll of the 2026-27 campaign was released Monday — and Virginia basketball is ranked No. 9 to begin the season. 

It is the Cavaliers' highest preseason ranking since they opened the 2020-21 season ranked No. 4. Virginia started unranked in each of its previous three seasons, but has quickly turned things around under Coach Ryan Odom.

There are great expectations placed upon the 2026-27 Cavaliers, as evidenced by their No. 9 ranking. Virginia is one of just a few teams in all of college basketball to retain every rotation player with eligibility remaining. Nearly every other team lost at least one or two key players to the transfer portal. Not the Cavaliers.

Three of Virginia's primary starters are back, along with sophomore guard Chance Mallory — a major breakout candidate, expected by all to ascend into stardom. Odom also supplemented the core four through the transfer portal additions of Jurian Dixon (UC Irvine), Christian Harmon (Arkansas State), Jan Vide (Loyola Marymount) and Kalu Anya (Saint Louis).

There are a few underrated additions as well, such as German wing Nolan Adekunle and freshman center Favour Ibe. On paper, Odom's team should be full of elite shooters, strong chemistry and suffocating defense.

However, these Cavaliers will be tested early and often. After two soft home openings to the season (Nov. 3 vs Drexel and Nov. 6 vs Northeastern), Virginia travels to Washington, D.C. for a Sunday showdown at Capital One Arena against No. 12 Arkansas. That early heavyweight duel could vault the Cavaliers even further up the rankings.

Virginia’s schedule features several ranked teams. The Cavaliers will play six games against teams that were ranked to start the year.

• No. 2 Duke (two games this year)
• No. 4 UConn
• No. 11 Louisville
• No. 12 Arkansas 
• No. 14 Miami
• No. 23 Kentucky

Few (if any) teams could end up playing six games against the top 14 teams in college basketball. But after a loss to Tennessee in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Odom sought to challenge his team and give them frequent tests akin to the trials of postseason basketball.

Virginia also faces North Carolina, Marquette and other teams that could be ranked at some point this season. The ACC slate is always full of unexpected upsets as well. The Cavaliers are heading into the fire. Basketball pundits have preemptively rewarded them for doing so, hence the top-10 ranking.