The 2025–26 Big East women's basketball season began with practices in October 2025, followed by the start of the 2025–26 NCAA Division I women's basketball season, which began in November 2025. Conference play began in December 2025 and ended in March 2026.

Preseason Preseason Big East poll Prior to the conference's annual media day, conference standings were projected by the coaches.

RankTeamPoints1.UConn 100 (10)2.Marquette 853.Seton Hall 80 (1)4.Villanova 785.Creighton 616.St. John's 56 7.Georgetown 488.DePaul 329.Butler 3010.Providence 2011.Xavier 15 (first place votes)

Preseason All-Big East Coaches named a preseason All-Big East team and player of the year.

Honor RecipientPreseason Player of the YearSarah Strong, UConnPreseason Freshman of the YearKelis Fisher, UConnPreseason All-Big EastKK Arnold, UConnAzzi Fudd, UConnAshlynn Shade, UConnSerah Williams, UConnSkylar Forbes, Marquette,Halle Vice, MarquetteLee Volker, MarquetteSavannah Catalon, Seton HallJada Eads, Seton HallJasmine Bascoe, VillanovaPreseason All-Big Honorable MentionKate Clarke, DePaulVictoria Rivera, GeorgetownMeri Kanerva, Xavier

Preseason watchlists Below is a table of notable preseason watch lists.

PlayerWoodenNaismithLiebermanDrysdaleMillerMcClain Leslie Jasmine Bascoe, Villanova Caroline Ducharme, UConn Skylar Forbes, Marquette Azzi Fudd, UConn Kayleigh Heckel, UConn Sarah Strong, UConn Serah Williams, UConn

Regular season Rankings

+ Legend     Improvement in ranking   Drop in ranking   Not ranked previous week RV Received votes but were not ranked in Top 25 of poll NV No votes received (Italics) Number of first place votes

  Pre/Wk 1 Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12 Wk13 Wk14 Wk15 Wk16 Wk17 Wk18 Wk19 Wk20 FinalButler APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVUConn AP1 (27)1 (30)1 (28)1 (30)1 (22)1 (23)1 (24)1 (25)1 (25)1 (28)1 (32)1 (30)1 (31)1 (31)1 (31)1 (31)1 (31)1 (31)1 (28)1 (28)3C1 (28)1 (29)1 (28)1 (29)1 (28)1 (28)1 (28)1 (28)1 (28)1 (28)1 (31)1 (31)1 (31)1 (31)1 (31)1 (31)1 (31)1 (31)1 (30)1 (30)3Creighton APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCRVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVDePaul APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVGeorgetown APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVMarquette APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVProvidence APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVSeton Hall APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVSt. John's APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVVillanova APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVRVRVRVRVRVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVRVRVNVXavier APNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVCNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

Big East Players of the Week Throughout the conference regular season, the Big East offices named one or two players of the week and one or two freshmen of the week each Monday. Week Player of the week School Freshman of the week SchoolNovember 10, 2025Sarah StrongUConnAlly TimmDePaul November 17, 2025Sarah Strong (2)UConnBlanca QuiñónezUConn November 24, 2025Azzi FuddUConnBlanca Quiñonez (2)UConn December 1, 2025Brooke MooreSt. John’sNeleigh GessertCreighton December 8, 2025Brynn McCurryVillanovaAva ZedikerCreighton December 15, 2025Azzi Fudd (2)UConnBlanca Quiñonez (3)UConn December 22, 2025Sarah Strong (3)UConnBlanca Quiñonez (4)UConnDecember 29, 2025Mariana ValenzuelaSeton HallBlanca Quiñonez (5)UConn January 5, 2026Halle ViceMarquetteKennedy HenryVillanova January 12, 2026Sarah Strong (4)UConnBlanca Quiñonez (6)UConn January 19, 2026Sarah Strong (5)UConnZahara BishopSeton Hall January 26, 2026Sarah Strong (6)UConnBlanca Quiñonez (7)UConn February 2, 2026Allie ZiebellUConnNeleigh Gessert (2)Creighton February 9, 2026Azzi Fudd (3)UConnAva Zediker (2) Creighton February 16, 2026Azzi Fudd (4)UConnZahara Bishop (2)Seton Hall February 23, 2026Sarah Strong (7)UConnZahara Bishop (3)Seton Hall

Conference matrix This table summarizes the head-to-head results between teams in conference play. Each team is scheduled to play 20 conference games with at least one game against each opponent.

  ButlerUConnCreightonDePaulGeorgetownMarquetteProvidenceSeton HallSt. John'sVillanovaXaviervs. Butler – 2–02–00–21–12–01–11–12–02–01–1vs. UConn0–2 – 0–20–20–20–20–20–20–20–20–2vs. Creighton0–22–0 – 1–11–11–11–11–10–22–00–2vs. DePaul2–02–01–1 – 0–22–02–02–01–12–01–1vs. Georgetown1–12–01–12–0 – 1–12–02–00–22–01–1vs. Marquette0–22–01–10–21–1 – 0–22–01–11–10–2vs. Providence1–12–01–10–20–22–0 – 2–02–02–01–1vs. Seton Hall1–12–01–10–20–20–20–2 – 2–02–00–2vs. St. John's0–22–02–01–12–01–10–20–2 – 1–10–2vs. Villanova0–22–00–20–20–21–10–20–21–1 – 0–2vs. Xavier1–12–02–04–11–12–01–12–02–02–0 –Total6–1420–011–95–156–1412–87–1312–811–916–44–16 Honors and awards All-Big East awards and teams

Big East Awards

2026 Big East Women's Basketball Individual Awards Award Recipient(s)Player of the Year Sarah Strong, UConnCoach of the Year Geno Auriemma, UConnDefensive Player of the Year Sarah Strong, UConnFreshman of the Year Blanca Quiñonez, UConnMost Improved Player of the Year Brynn McCurry, VillanovaSixth Woman Award Blanca Quiñonez, UConnSportsmanship Award Meg Newman, DePaul

2026 Big East Women's Basketball All-Conference Teams First Team Second Team^ Defensive Team Freshman TeamKK Arnold, UConn†Azzi Fudd, UConn†Sarah Strong, UConn†Ava Zediker, Creighton†Skylar Forbes, Marquette†Halle Vice, Marquette†Sabou Gueye, Providence†Savannah Catalon, Seton Hall†Mariana Valenzuela, Seton Hall†Jasmine Bascoe, VillanovaBlanca Quiñonez, UConnKate Novik, DePaulLee Volker, MarquetteBrooke Moore, St. John’sBrynn McCurry, VillanovaMariyah Noel, XavierKK Arnold, UConnSarah Strong, UConnSkylar Forbes, MarquetteSavannah Catalon, Seton HallKennedy Henry, Villanova†Blanca Quiñonez, UConn†Ava Zediker, Creighton†Neleigh Gessert, Creighton†Zahara Bishop, Seton Hall†Kennedy Henry, Villanova † - denotes unanimous selection^ - due to a tie in voting, there are six players on the Second Team

Postseason Big East Tournament

References