Joe Women's Bracket, 2026

As we head into Selection Sunday, it's a familiar tune for the women's tournament.  Defending champion UConn is undefeated and the clear No. 1 overall seed.  Does that mean the Huskies are unbeatable, though?  Absolutely not.  They're the favorites, and they should be, but the other three No. 1 seeds are all very capable.  In fact, I think the talent at the top of the women's game might be better than it's ever been.

That talent at the top is reflected in just how many Power 4 teams figure to make the field.  There aren't many at-large bids to be had from outside the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC.  In fact, Villanova is the only team from another conference that's a lock.  I do think Richmond will also get a bid, but as one of the last teams in and destined for the First Four.  So, that's 35 of 37 at-large bids going to the same four leagues.  The basketball is just that good in those conferences!

The strongest of those?  The Big Ten.  UCLA is the clear No. 2 overall team and a very legitimate threat for the title.  They made their first Final Four last season, and there's no reason to think they won't get back.  I've got UCLA leading 11 Big Ten teams into the field.

Texas and South Carolina met in the SEC Championship Game, with the Longhorns getting the win.  They were both headed to No. 1 seeds either way, but that victory flipped their overall rankings.  It made Texas No. 3 overall, which means UCLA in the Final Four instead of UConn.  It also means that instead of traveling to Sacramento, Texas gets the Regional in Fort Worth.  That's obviously a huge advantage for them.

In Fort Worth, they'll join UConn, which sends South Carolina out west with UCLA.  That's because the NCAA is still doing that ridiculous two Regional format they've been using for the past several years.  I have no idea why they think this format is better.  It's not.  It also makes for incredibly stupid-sounding Regional names of "Fort Worth 1" and "Sacramento 2," etc.

Because there are only two Regional sites, UConn has to hit the road despite being the No. 1 overall seed.  That's one of my biggest problems with this format.  You should want more fans to be able to attend games.  Four Regionals accomplish that.  Two Regionals doesn't.  It also makes no sense that the closest Regional site for the No. 1 overall seed is 1,500 miles away!  The men have every area of the country with their four Regionals.  The women should do the same thing.

But I digress.  There are four clear No. 1 seeds and three clear No. 2 seeds.  I'm not sure who'll get that fourth No. 2 between TCU, Iowa and West Virginia, but I'm giving it to Big XII regular season champion TCU.  If it doesn't go to the Horned Frogs, I'd imagine it'll probably be Iowa.

On the other end of the spectrum, I think there are five teams in the mix for the final three spots--three of which are also in the Big XII.  Of those three, Arizona State has the strongest tournament resume, so the Sun Devils are in.  Likewise, Utah has the weakest tournament resume of the three, so the Utes are out.  That leaves BYU, Richmond and Nebraska for the last two spots in the First Four.  Richmond's had such a good season that you can't leave them out.  So, it's down to BYU vs. Nebraska.  I think BYU is the better team.  That's my rationale for choosing them.

With that, it gives the Big Ten 11 teams instead of 12, which is still the most.  The SEC has 10, but the quality is so much higher with four of them among the top eight overall seeds and five hosting (which equals the Big Ten's number).  Nine teams each for the ACC and Big 12, with the Atlantic 10 and Big East landing two teams apiece.  That's it.  Just six conferences with multiple bids.

FORT WORTH 1
16-Holy Cross at 1-Connecticut (1), 8-Iowa State vs. 9-Syracuse
13-Green Bay at 4-Ohio State, 12-BYU/Richmond vs. 5-Mississippi
14-Louisiana Tech at 3-Iowa, 6-Baylor vs. 11-Fairfield
15-Western Illinois at 2-Vanderbilt, 7-Illinois vs. 10-South Dakota State

SACRAMENTO 4
16-FDU/Howard at 1-South Carolina (4), 8-NC State vs. 9-USC
13-Idaho at 4-Maryland, 5-Kentucky vs. 12-Murray State
14-UC San Diego at 3-Oklahoma, 6-Texas Tech vs. 11-Princeton
15-High Point at 2-Duke, 7-Alabama vs. 10-Colorado

SACRAMENTO 2
16-Stephen F. Austin at 1-UCLA (2), 8-Villanova vs. 9-Tennessee
13-Colorado State at 4-Louisville, 5-Michigan State vs. 12-Gonzaga
14-Vermont at 3-West Virginia, 6-Notre Dame vs. 11-Rhode Island
15-Jacksonville at 2-LSU, 7-Oklahoma State vs. 10-Rice

FORT WORTH 3
16-Southern/Samford at 1-Texas (3), 8-Oregon vs. 9-Clemson
13-Charleston at 4-North Carolina, 5-Minnesota vs. 12-James Madison
14-Miami OH at 3-Michigan, 6-Georgia vs. 11-Virginia/Arizona State
15-Cal Baptist at 2-TCU, 7-Washington vs. 10-Virginia Tech

Last year's National Championship Game was a matchup between UConn and South Carolina.  If all of the 1-seeds make it to Phoenix, they'll meet in this year's semifinals.  UCLA and Texas, meanwhile, would square off in the other semi.  And, if the top four seeds are the last four standing, that'll be a wide-open Women's Final Four where anyone can win.