The Teams Nobody Is Talking About… Yet
As the 2025-26 women’s college basketball season tipped off on November 3rd, the mid-major scene is heating up with programs primed to crash the Power Five party. Take the Gonzaga Bulldogs, coming off a 24-11 record and a 17-3 mark in the WCC last season. Guard Allie Turner returns after a freshman season in which she averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while draining 105 three-pointers at a 45 percent clip. Combine that with last year’s dominant back-court and a front court that returns its core, and you’ve got a team that not only wants to dominate its conference again, but also hunt down marquee non-conference wins. The Zags open the season at home on Nov. 3rd, and will schedule at least one Power Five opponent by December, making them a worthy rising mid-major to watch in the women’s game.
Meanwhile, the Princeton Tigers from the Ivy League quietly keep building a contender that’s capable of upsetting bigger names. Princeton was selected first in the Ivy League preseason poll, earning 17 first-place votes and totaling 163 points after posting a 25-5 record last season. The Tigers return key contributors like Madison St. Rose, Skye Belker, and Ashley Chea, and they’ve kept their trademark disciplined defense and deliberate, efficient offense. With that foundation, Princeton is definitely capable of pulling off a non-conference upset if it draws a Power Five opponent on the road or at a neutral site. For this season, I’m projecting a 22-8 finish, a strong showing in the Ivy, and at least one win over a major league opponent; the kind of result that turns heads in March.
Finally, don’t sleep on the UNLV Lady Rebels out of the Mountain West, another mid-major itching to make a splash. The Lady Rebels finished 26-8 overall and 16-2 in MWC play in 2024-25. They were picked as the preseason favorite for 2025-26, collecting 19 of the 27 first-place votes in the Mountain West poll. Riding that momentum plus a non-conference slate featuring a Nov. 14th tilt vs. the Baylor Bears, UNLV has a prime chance to snap the mid-major underdog narrative. I’m predicting a 24–6 season, a solid finish in the Mountain West, and an upset victory over a Power Five school by mid-December that cements their status as a team on the rise. These three programs are ready to shake up the women’s college basketball world; keep an eye on them.
