USC Women’s Basketball Selected Fourth in Big Ten Preseason Coaches Rankings
October 02, 2025 | Women's Basketball
Entering its second season in the Big Ten Conference, USC women's basketball was picked fourth in the Preseason Rankings, as announced by the conference today (Oct. 2). The Women of Troy earned the No. 3 spot in the media's preseason rankings.
Winners of the Big Ten regular-season tile and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament last season, USC is coming off its second straight NCAA Elite Eight run in a year that saw JuJu Watkins become USC's third Naismith Trophy winner while also earning another set of All-America honors along with grad student Kiki Iriafen. Watkins' endured a postseason injury that has sidelined her, but the 2025-26 Trojans have a talented group at the ready under two-time finalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year, Lindsay Gottlieb. Two USC players won gold medals in international action over the summer, with 2025 Big Ten All-Freshman and All-Defensive Team honoree Kennedy Smith winning gold with Team USA at the FIBA AmeriCup. Incoming freshman and the nation's No. 1 recruit Jazzy Davidson , meanwhile, grabbed gold with the United States at the FIBA U19 World Cup.
USC also boasts a power-packed group of transfer additions. Gerda Raulusaityte comes to USC from Lithuania, joining fellow incoming transfers Kara Dunn, Londynn Jones, Dayana Mendes and Yakiya Milton. The Trojans also have extra experience back with more talented returners in junior Malia Samuels, sophomores Rian Forestier, Vivian Iwuchukwu, Brooklyn Shamblin and Laura Williams.
USC went 31-4 overall last season with a 16-1 finish in Big Ten regular-season action to earn the regular-season title and earn the top seed in the 2025 Big Ten Tournament, where the Trojans finished runners-up to rival UCLA.
2025-26 Big Ten Women's Basketball Preseason Honors
2025-26 Coaches Big Ten Preseason Rankings
1. UCLA
2. Maryland
3. Michigan
4. USC
5. Ohio State
2025-26 Media Big Ten Preseason Rankings
1. UCLA
2. Maryland
3. USC
4. Michigan
5. Ohio State
Winners of the Big Ten regular-season tile and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament last season, USC is coming off its second straight NCAA Elite Eight run in a year that saw JuJu Watkins become USC's third Naismith Trophy winner while also earning another set of All-America honors along with grad student Kiki Iriafen. Watkins' endured a postseason injury that has sidelined her, but the 2025-26 Trojans have a talented group at the ready under two-time finalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year, Lindsay Gottlieb. Two USC players won gold medals in international action over the summer, with 2025 Big Ten All-Freshman and All-Defensive Team honoree Kennedy Smith winning gold with Team USA at the FIBA AmeriCup. Incoming freshman and the nation's No. 1 recruit Jazzy Davidson , meanwhile, grabbed gold with the United States at the FIBA U19 World Cup.
USC also boasts a power-packed group of transfer additions. Gerda Raulusaityte comes to USC from Lithuania, joining fellow incoming transfers Kara Dunn, Londynn Jones, Dayana Mendes and Yakiya Milton. The Trojans also have extra experience back with more talented returners in junior Malia Samuels, sophomores Rian Forestier, Vivian Iwuchukwu, Brooklyn Shamblin and Laura Williams.
USC went 31-4 overall last season with a 16-1 finish in Big Ten regular-season action to earn the regular-season title and earn the top seed in the 2025 Big Ten Tournament, where the Trojans finished runners-up to rival UCLA.
2025-26 Big Ten Women's Basketball Preseason Honors
2025-26 Coaches Big Ten Preseason Rankings
1. UCLA
2. Maryland
3. Michigan
4. USC
5. Ohio State
2025-26 Media Big Ten Preseason Rankings
1. UCLA
2. Maryland
3. USC
4. Michigan
5. Ohio State
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/ Women's BasketballWomen's Basketball Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb Media Availability 9/18/25
Thursday, September 18
USC WBB's Lindsay Gottlieb, Rayah Marshall and Talia von Oelhoffen | Trojan Press Conference
Monday, March 31
USC WBB heads to the Elite 8, defeats Kansas State in Sweet 16 | Rapid Reaction
Saturday, March 29
Kennedy Smith on USC WBB heading to the Elite Eight, Trojan freshmen getting the job done
Saturday, March 29
