Women's March Madness 2026: Ranking the Final Four

charlie creamMarch 30, 2026, 11:16 pm ET
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For the second consecutive season, South Carolina, texas, UCLA And Yukon Have reached the last four. And there is no surprise in this.

From the moment UConn cut down the net in Tampa a year ago, the Gamecocks, Longhorns, Bruins and Huskies were considered the four best teams going into this season – and they lived up to it. They have a combined record of 143–7, and the closest game any of them have played in the NCAA Tournament is a 12-point win over UConn. Notre Dame In the elite eight. This is the same Huskies team that has won 54 consecutive times.

This marked the second time in women’s NCAA Tournament history that all four teams returned to the Final Four. This marks only the fifth time that all four No. 1 seeds have made the bracket; This also happened in 1989, 2012, 2015 and 2018.

And while Friday’s UConn-South Carolina national semifinal (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) is a rematch of the 2025 NCAA title game, the UCLA-Texas semifinal is a rematch of earlier this season. The Longhorns defeated the Bruins in the inaugural Players Era Championship on November 26 in Las Vegas.

Having familiar matchups or the same quartet in the semifinals doesn’t mean we’ll have the same results. This also does not mean that our ranking remains the same. Here’s one last look at how the remaining teams in the field fare heading into Phoenix.

1. yukon huskies
Original seeds: No. 1 overall (Fort Worth 1)
Result: Garland. No. 16 UTSA 90-52 (First Round); Defeated. No. 9 Syracuse 98-45 (Round of 32); Defeated. No. 4 North Carolina 63-42 (Sweet 16); Defeated. No. 6 Notre Dame 70-52 (Elite Eight)

Geno Auriemma was vocal about it setup at the regional level and how they believe it is affecting crime.. His Huskies, who entered the NCAA Tournament as the nation’s second-most accurate 3-point shooting team, went 10 of 37 from deep in Fort Worth. But all that talk focused on how good the Huskies were on defense. He scored a total of 94 points over the two games and had 32 steals for his Division I-leading total. UConn recorded its two lowest-scoring games of the season against North Carolina and Notre Dame and still won by an average of 19.5 points. The Huskies needed every one of these sarah strongShe had 21 points to keep the Fighting Irish at bay on Sunday, but her total of 15 blocks and steals in the two regional games indicated why she is the highest-rated individual defensive player in the country.

Dispatch from Fort Worth: What was the No. 1 factor that helped the Huskies reach the Final Four? The depth really came through against Notre Dame. The defense was very good, as it usually is. But it was a relatively quiet walk azy fad (13 points). Strong wasn’t necessarily superhuman (21 points on 6 of 13 shooting), although she was still the most outstanding player on the field. However, the Huskies still had what they needed to win. New blanca quinonez Scored 20 points, 12 of which came in the first quarter as the sophomore set the pace for the Huskies Jana El Alfi Only played seven minutes but made an impact with four points and four rebounds.

Overall, bench players – Quinonez, El Alfi, kayle heckel And Eli Ziebel – UConn had 32 of 70 points against the Irish. –Michael Voepel

next: vs. South Carolina (Friday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN)

UConn beats Notre Dame to reach Final Four

UConn heads to Phoenix for the Final Four after defeating Notre Dame.

2. Texas Longhorns
Original seeds: No. 1 (Fort Worth 3)
Result: Garland. No. 16 Missouri State 87–45 (First Round); Defeated. No. 8 Oregon 100-58 (Round of 32); Defeated. No. 5 Kentucky 76-54 (Sweet 16); Defeated. No. 2 Michigan 77-41 (Elite Eight)

It’s time to lift up Texas. All No. 1 seeds have been impressive, but the Longhorns have been completely dominant. Michigan played both UConn and UCLA to within three points this season. Texas never let the Wolverines breathe on Monday. While the Longhorns made their first nine shots of the game, Michigan made 11 consecutive field goal attempts and Texas’ lead was 18–4. The game was already effectively over – and Texas never lost. madison booker Couldn’t seem to find any defense and finished with 19 points in 29 minutes. Texas was physically superior. That was the situation when the Longhorns played their national semifinal rival UCLA in November 76-65 Texas win In Las Vegas. The Longhorns’ guards put heavy pressure on the Bruins’ backcourt, and Texas won an easy victory after taking a 20-point lead at halftime.

Dispatch from Fort Worth: What’s the No. 1 factor that helped the Longhorns reach the Final Four? After the Longhorns’ Sweet 16 victory, Texas coach Vic Schaefer said Texas was playing its best basketball of the season. Following an 86–70 loss to Vanderbilt on February 12, he called out the team for having “no heart” and being “probably my softest team in years”, just over six weeks earlier.

Is it time to consider Texas the best team in the region? The Longhorns’ combination of experience, depth, defensive tenacity and offensive firepower could lead Texas to its first national title since 1986. –Alexa Filippo

next: vs. UCLA (Friday, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Rory Harmon credits fellow Longhorns for Final Four repeat

After dishing out 13 assists in a 77-41 win over Michigan in the regional final, Harmon explains how Texas played with urgency to earn a Final Four trip for the second consecutive year.

3. UCLA Bruins

Original seeds: No. 1 (Sacramento 2)
Result: Garland. No. 16 Cal Baptist 96-43 (First Round); Defeated. No. 8 Oklahoma State 87–68 (Round of 32); Defeated. No. 4 Minnesota 80-56 (Sweet 16); Defeated. No. 3 Duke 70-58 (Elite Eight)

It’s not a secret Lauren Bates Has been a key player in UCLA’s Final Four appearances the last two years. What’s amazing is how consistent she is at the most pressing points of each season. Bates’ 24.0 points and 8.5 rebounds through the first four games of this NCAA Tournament are a point and a half a rebound better than last spring. His shooting percentage in 2025 was 71.6%. This time it is 70.2%. If the Bruins win in Phoenix, what Bates did in the second half against Duke on Sunday might be the most special one. With UCLA down by eight points at halftime – and never having scored more in his career – Bates recorded 15 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in the final 20 minutes, leading a comeback victory by 20 points at the half.

Dispatch from Sacramento: What’s the No. 1 factor that helped the Bruins reach the Final Four? UCLA’s dominance in the paint is its identity. The Bruins have scored at least 50 paint points in all four of their tournament games so far, including 54 against Duke. It was their 26th game this season with at least 40 paint points, tied with UConn and South Carolina for the most in Division I.

It’s not just Bates that makes UCLA so good. The Bruins defenders drive downfield and cut to the basket. UCLA is one of the biggest teams in the country, and frontcourt dominance will continue to be the Bruins’ hallmark as they return to the Final Four. — kendra andrews

next: vs. Texas (Friday, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

UCLA reaches Final Four with win over Duke

UCLA made the most of the second half to stage a comeback and defeat Duke to advance to the Final Four.

4. South Carolina Gamecocks
Original seeds: No. 1 (Sacramento 4)
Result: Garland. No. 16 Southern 103-34 (first round); Defeated No. 9 USC 101–61 (Round of 32); Defeated. No. 4. Oklahoma 94-68 (Sweet 16); Defeated. No. 3 TCU 78-52 (Elite Eight)

The Gamecocks are in their sixth consecutive Final Four. This is the second-longest streak ever, behind UConn’s 14 from 2008 to 2022. And this version from South Carolina did it just as impressively as any of the previous five. The Gamecocks won their four games in the NCAA Tournament by a combined point margin of 161, the fourth-highest score in history. Beating TCU was not as easy as the 26-point margin appeared, but South Carolina’s size and depth wore down the Horned Frogs, as evidenced by the 52–24 advantage on the boards. That display of physical force explains the 29-11 fourth quarter advantage and the big final margin. When all four No. 1 seeds reach the Final Four, the gap between them is small. Because Monday’s contest was so close to the final quarter, and because the Gamecocks have three losses on the season, they remain in fourth place in a very narrow pecking order.

Dispatches from Sacramento: What’s the No. 1 factor that helped the Gamecocks reach the Final Four: South Carolina plays to its strengths. And on Monday night, it was agot maker And Joyce Edwards. Before the game ended, Edwards had achieved a double-double. Finishing with 24 points and 12 rebounds, Edwards led the Gamecocks to some of their biggest offensive opportunities of the evening. Meanwhile, Maker continues to shine on the biggest stages. In this NCAA tournament, Maker recorded the highest scoring game of his career; Against TCU, she finished with 18 points. The young players were the difference in the matchup against TCU, and if the Gamecocks continue to rely on their strengths and play their players who go on hot streaks, they could go undefeated in the Final Four.–Charlotte Gibson

next: vs. UConn (Friday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN)