The initial AP Top 25 rankings for women's college basketball have been revealed, as the UNC women's basketball program has earned its highest preseason ranking in over 15 years.
Preseason @AP_Top25 Rankings 🏀#NCAAWBB pic.twitter.com/JYHUfXKiqb
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) October 14, 2025
Courtney Banghart's team claimed the No. 11 spot on the list. It marks the program's highest ranking since the 2009-2010 squad began its season as the No. 5-ranked team in the country.
Considering the fact that the UNC women's basketball program was unranked to start each of the four seasons ahead of the start of the Banghart-era in Chapel Hill, it's incredible to see where the program has gotten to in just a few years. The Tar Heels have grown under the direction of Banghart, rising to national prominence, as the bar continues to rise for the UNC women's basketball program each and every year.
The schedule they face this upcoming season will be a daunting one to say the least. Not only will the Tar Heels face No. 2-ranked South Carolina in an upcoming exhibition game, the 2025-2026 schedule features games against six ranked teams among the preseason AP Top 25 Poll:
No. 3 UCLA
No. 4 Texas
No. 7 Duke (twice)
No. 9 N.C. State
No. 15 Notre Dame
No. 20 Louisville
Talk about a competitive slate of games!
Of course, the ACC has developed into one of (if not the) toughest conferences in women's college basketball. That holds true in terms of the preseason rankings, as five programs from the conference reside among the top-25 ranked teams in the country.
Courtney Banghart and her team want all the smoke and are definitely not backing away from the challenges that face them. In order to be the best, you need to compete with the best, as North Carolina has plenty of opportunities this season to prove they are rightfully regarded among the country's top squads.