When looking ahead to the 2025-26 women’s college basketball season, the favorites are obvious. The expectation is that UConn and South Carolina will reach the Final Four again, and other contenders like LSU, UCLA or Texas might join them.
The Bruins were the Final Four newbies last season, as Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice powered UCLA to its first national semifinal in the NCAA era (this is where it’s worth noting that UCLA won a national title in women’s basketball in the AIAW era in 1978). The 2024 Final Four all had repeat guests, while 2023 saw Virginia Tech appear in its first national semifinal with a Kenny Brooks-coached team that was powered by WNBA players in Georgia Amoore and Elizabeth Kitley.
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Is there a team — or perhaps multiple teams — that has never been to a Final Four that could go to their first this season?
In short, yes. There are multiple candidates. Two of them are in the Big 12.
Let’s break down why these new kids on the block could be contenders, and why we might see them in Phoenix in April:
TCU
The Horned Frogs came really close to making the Final Four last year, ultimately falling to Texas in the Elite Eight. Coming off its best season in program history, TCU had to rebuild after losing Hailey Van Lith, Sedona Prince and Madison Conner.
Mark Campbell went out and got arguably the best player in the portal in Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles and then put more intriguing pieces around her in Kentucky center Clara Silva, Texas A&M guard Taliyah Parker, Arizona State center Kennedy Basham, Cal wing Marta Suarez, and San Diego State guard Veronica Sheffey. Pairing those additions with key returners like Donovyn Hunter, Taylor Bigby and Aaliyah Roberson should give TCU a chance to make another deep March Madness run.
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With Miles leading the way and a host of talented players around her, the expectations will be high for TCU.
Ole Miss
One of the biggest winners of the transfer portal season, Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s Rebels have what seems to be an incredibly talented roster, on-paper anyways.
After a run to the Sweet 16 last season — for the second time in Coach Yo’s tenure — Ole Miss added eight players in the portal, led by All-Big Ten forward Cotie McMahon, one of the nation’s top scorers in UCF’s Kaitlin Peterson, and a strong post player in Latasha Lattimore. The class also includes two players with SEC experience in Denim DeShields and Debreasha Powe, who join the other side of the Egg Bowl rivalry from Mississippi State. Coach Yo flexed her muscles in the portal, but the Rebels also brought in Lauren Jacobs, an ESPN Top 100 recruit.
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While the SEC is an incredibly tough conference, Ole Miss could be in a position to have a breakthrough season.
Oklahoma State
Jacie Hoyt’s third year at the helm saw the Cowgirls win 25 games, just the fourth time in program history they’ve reached that total. They notched impressive victories last season over Fairfield, Baylor, West Virginia, TCU and Kansas State, and finished third in the Big 12 standings.
From that team — which fell in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament to South Dakota State — their top two scorers in Stailee Heard and Micah Gray return. So does Jadyn Wooten, who led the Cowgirls in assists as a true freshman last year. Additions to the roster include BYU transfer Amari Whiting, ESPN Top 100 recruit Lena Girardi, UCF transfer Achol Akot, 6-foot-5 McNeese State transfer Wilnie Joseph, Tarleton State transfer Faith Acker, and Haleigh Timmer — a player who played a key role in the Jackrabbits handing the Cowgirls that March Madness defeat, scoring 11 points for South Dakota State in that upset.
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Four of those five transfers averaged at least six points per game last season, Timmer shot 40 percent from 3-point land, and Whiting posted 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game for BYU. It’s also worth mentioning that Oklahoma State played last season without 6-foot-5 center Favour Ogechukwu Onoh due to an injury.
As the newcomers combine forces with the trio of Heard, Gray and Wooten, Oklahoma State seems to be equipped with the talent and depth to have their deepest postseason run in program history.
