Iowa State Athletics

Women's Basketball

Four Big 12 Teams Included in AP Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Preseason Poll

For the second consecutive season, four Big 12 women’s basketball programs are featured in the Associated Press Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Preseason Poll, while an additional three schools received votes.

Iowa State leads all league programs at No. 14. The Cyclones are led by Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Audi Crooks, who finished last season as an AP and USBWA Third Team All-American while guiding ISU to the NCAA Tournament. Iowa State has now been ranked inside the top 14 of the preseason rankings in four of the last five years.

Baylor checks in at No. 16, marking its 21st consecutive season being included in the preseason poll. The Bears finished the 2024-25 season with 28 wins and advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.

Fresh off the first Elite Eight appearance and Big 12 titles in program history, TCU sits at No. 17, its highest-ever preseason AP ranking and its first in 22 seasons. The Horned Frogs added Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Olivia Miles during the offseason as they look to build on their record-setting year.

Oklahoma State lands at No. 22 following a 25-win season and an NCAA Tournament appearance. The Cowgirls are in the preseason poll for the first time since the 2014-15 season.

West Virginia, K-State and Kansas each received votes.

The Big 12 Preseason Coaches’ Honors were released last week, while the Preseason Big 12 Media Poll will be unveiled the week of Oct. 27.

A full preview of the 2025-26 Big 12 Women’s Basketball season will take place as the league returns to Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center for Big 12 Women’s Basketball Media Day presented by New Era on Tuesday, Oct. 21. The event will air on ESPNU and ESPN+ from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. CT, with additional coverage throughout the day on ESPN+.

The 2024-25 Big 12 women’s basketball season marked the first time the Conference has had at least five teams finish the season ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll in consecutive seasons since 2010 (2008-10). The league has sent multiple teams to the Sweet 16 in four of the last five NCAA tournaments and has had at least two teams in the regional semifinals in 22 of the last 25 tournaments, tied for the second-highest percentage (88%) of any league during that span.

AP Top 25 Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll
14. Iowa State
16. Baylor
17. TCU
22. Oklahoma State
Receiving Votes: West Virginia, K-State, Kansas.