The Women’s Other Top 25: Princeton closes season atop poll

Princeton, who played in a seventh straight NCAA Tournament, closed the 2026 as the No. 1 team in the Women’s Other Top 25. The Tigers finished 26-4 and garnered a 9-seed for the second time in the last three seasons.

The Ivy League owned the top two spots in the final ranking as Columbia surged to No. 2. The Lions won the WBIT by earning wins over St. John’s, North Dakota St., Cal, Wisconsin and BYU. Megan Griffith’s team has been on a roll with postseason appearances. Prior to this crown, Columbia received at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament the last two year and was runner-up in the WNIT in 2023.

South Dakota St. came in third in the final Other Top 25. The Jackrabbits won the Summit League Tournament title and played in March Madness for a fourth straight year. The Jacks have gone 76-2 against Summit opponents over the last four years.

The Atlantic 10 rounded out the top five with Rhode Island at No. 4 and Richmond at No. 5. The Rams won the A10 and reached the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in program history and first in 30 years. URI’s 28 wins were a program record.

The Spiders were the only mid-major to secure an at-large bid to this year’s NCAA Tournament. It marked the third straight year Aaron Roussell’s team went dancing. Richmond has gone 73-21 over the last three seasons.

Fairfield followed as the Stags continued their dominance in the MAAC. Carly Thibault-Dudonis’ club has gone 86-12 overall and 67-2 against MAAC teams during its three-peat. Fairfield’s NCAA Tournament seed has improved each year as it was an 11-seed this season.

George Mason finished seventh. The Patriots followed up the A10 conference tournament title in 2025 with a 16-2 mark in league play this season, the best league mark in program history.

James Madison made a return to the Big Dance and came in at No. 8. The Dukes were a 12-seed and finished 26-9.

Harvard ranked ninth. The Crimson racked up a second straight 20-win season and reached the quarterfinals of the WBIT.

North Dakota St. rounded out the top 10. The Bison secured the Summit League regular season championship for the first time. NDSU won a Division-I program record 29 games.

Five teams joined the ranking: James Madison, South Florida, Georgia Southern, Marshall and Saint Joseph’s.

Below is the full ranking:

Vermont – 15; Troy – 17; Western Illinois – 24; UC San Diego – 25