The 2025-26 women’s college basketball season is in the books. UCLA flew past South Carolina in the national title game and cut down nets on Sunday evening.
Now, the attention quickly turns to the 2026-27 season. The transfer portal opened up once the date changed to April 6 and will remain open for 15 days. While movement in the portal will significantly change outlooks, writers are planting their flags and compiling way-too-early rankings for next season.
With so much turmoil surrounding Lady Vols basketball, is the prestigious program listed in those top-25 rankings? According to ESPN, the answer is no.
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ESPN instead lists UConn in the top spot, followed by Texas, South Carolina, LSU and Michigan. In total, along with the Longhorns, Gamecocks and Tigers in the top four, six SEC teams are represented. This also features Vanderbilt at No. 10, Kentucky at No. 14 and Oklahoma at No. 18.
ESPN did make sure to list the Lady Vols, alongside Iowa State, Georgia and Oklahoma State, as programs undergoing serious turnover through the portal. That’s part of the reason Tennessee isn’t listed. However, it’s a ‘foundation’, which can be changed depending on what these teams do in the portal.
So far, Tennessee has lost each potential returner to the transfer portal. The Lady Vols are also likely losing five-star Oliviyah Edwards, who requested a release from her signing. This leaves incoming four-star freshman Gabby Minus as the only player signed up for next season at the moment.
