Women's college basketball's Way-Too-Early Top 25:
1. UConn2. South Carolina
3. Stanford
4. Baylor
5. Maryland
Brenda Frese remade her roster last offseason due to transfers and graduations, and turned it into a Sweet 16 run and AP Coach of the Year honors. Katie Benzan and Chloe Bibby, who each came to College Park as grad transfers, both announced they're coming back, which boosted the Terps a spot. With Benzan's 3-point shooting and Bibby's versatility, plus point guard Ashley Owusu, wing Diamond Miller and forward Angel Reese, Frese will continue to have a dynamic offense. Despite some great regular seasons, the Terrapins haven't been beyond the Sweet 16 since reaching the Final Four in 2015. How quickly Maryland can get over the disappointment of this year's loss to Texas in the regional semifinals might be the keys to ending that streak.
6. Louisville
7. Indiana
The Hoosiers weren't as high in these rankings until Ali Patberg's announcement that she will return for one more season in Bloomington. That means the core of Patberg, Grace Berger, Mackenzie Holmes and Aleksa Gulbe that led Indiana to an Elite Eight run and a second-place Big Ten finish -- the most successful season in program history -- will try it again. Patberg, who began her career with two seasons at Notre Dame, will be entering her seventh year in college next fall.
8. NC State
9. IOWA
The Hawkeyes started a freshman, three sophomores and a junior this season, and if everyone stays will return 97% of their point production. Caitlin Clark is the star, but coach Lisa Bluder has the pieces around her set up nicely, too, and another top-25 recruiting class on the way. Addison O'Grady might give Bluder another post player to go alongside Monika Czinano, who led the nation in field goal percentage this season. If Iowa can find a rim protector in the transfer portal to solidify the defense, this team might have Final Four potential.
10. Oregon
Others
11. Michigan
12. Iowa State
13. Ohio State
21. Michigan State
Women's college basketball's Way-Too-Early Top 25: UConn reigns while South Carolina looms
The Big Ten put three teams in the top 10, but UConn, South Carolina and 2021 national champion Stanford remain the teams to beat.
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