Vanderbilt Top 25 Ranking Secured for First Time in a Decade
For the first time in over a decade, Vanderbilt Top 25 is a reality as the women’s basketball team is back in the national spotlight. The Commodores landed at No. 23 in this week’s AP Top 25 rankings, their first appearance in the poll since February 10, 2014.
It’s a well-earned ranking for head coach Shea Ralph and her squad, who have quietly put together an impressive season. Vanderbilt holds a 17-4 record, but what really put them over the top was their big win over then-No. 19 Alabama on Sunday. This marks the first time since the 2015-16 season that Vanderbilt has managed to take down two ranked teams in a single season.
How the Rankings Shaped Up This Week
This past week was chaos in women’s college basketball. Twelve ranked teams lost, shaking up the middle and bottom of the Top 25 and opening the door for teams like Vanderbilt to finally break in.
Meanwhile, the top four teams stayed the same:
- No. 1 UCLA (20-0) is still the only undefeated team left in Division I, picking up 31 out of 32 first-place votes after another strong week.
- No. 2 South Carolina (19-1) grabbed the only other first-place vote after handing LSU (now No. 7) its first loss of the season.
- No. 3 Notre Dame (17-2) and No. 4 USC (18-1) held their ground, avoiding any upsets.
Further down, Texas jumped into the top five, moving past UConn (now No. 6), and Ohio State surged four spots to No. 8 after beating Maryland, who took a huge tumble down to No. 14 after losing three straight games.
The Full AP Top 25 Rankings (January 27, 2025)
1️⃣ UCLA (20-0)
2️⃣ South Carolina (19-1)
3️⃣ Notre Dame (17-2)
4️⃣ USC (18-1)
5️⃣ Texas (20-2)
6️⃣ UConn (19-2)
7️⃣ LSU (21-1)
8️⃣ Ohio State (19-1)
9️⃣ TCU (20-2)
🔟 Duke (17-4)
🔹 Vanderbilt is at No. 23
A few teams dropped out this week—Michigan, Minnesota, and Baylor all lost their spots in the rankings, while Oklahoma State (No. 24) and Florida State (No. 25) jumped back in.
Why Vanderbilt’s Ranking Matters
For years, Vanderbilt has been a middle-of-the-pack team in the SEC, rarely getting the recognition that programs like South Carolina, LSU, and Tennessee receive. But under Shea Ralph, this team is turning heads.
They don’t have a superstar name on the roster, but they’re winning with toughness, defense, and smart basketball. They’ve already matched their win total from last season, and with big SEC matchups ahead, they have a chance to keep climbing in the rankings.
The Biggest Story of the Week: Tennessee’s Coach Has a Baby, Returns in a Week
While Vanderbilt breaking into the Top 25 is big news, one of the wildest headlines of the week belongs to Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell.
Caldwell gave birth to her first child, Conor Scott, just a week ago—while dealing with the flu. And yet, she’s already back on the sidelines for Tennessee’s game against South Carolina on Monday night.
She only missed one game, an 80-76 loss to Texas last Thursday, where assistant coach Jenna Burdette stepped in as acting head coach. It’s safe to say Caldwell’s toughness is unmatched.
Source: Vanderbilt ranked in women’s AP Top 25 for 1st time in 11 years
SEC Dominance in the Rankings
It’s no surprise that the SEC is running women’s college basketball right now. The conference has eight teams ranked, the most of any league. The ACC is close behind with seven teams, followed by the Big Ten (five teams), Big 12 (four teams), and Big East (one team).
For years, the SEC has been one of the toughest leagues in women’s basketball, and with teams like South Carolina, LSU, Tennessee, Alabama, and now Vanderbilt all ranked, it’s clear that this conference is only getting stronger.

Key Games to Watch This Week
🔥 Columbia vs. Harvard (Friday) – This Ivy League showdown could decide the conference’s top seed. Columbia is undefeated, but Harvard is just one game behind.
🔥 No. 12 Kentucky vs. No. 13 Oklahoma (Sunday) – A huge SEC battle between two teams fighting for a top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament.
🔥 Vanderbilt’s next game – With their first Top 25 ranking in 11 years, all eyes will be on Vanderbilt to see if they can keep up the momentum.
Final Thoughts: Can Vanderbilt Keep Climbing?
This Vanderbilt team is for real, and they’re finally getting the recognition they deserve.
The question now is: Can they stay in the Top 25?
Their tough SEC schedule will test them, but if they keep playing the way they have been, this might not just be a temporary visit to the rankings—Vanderbilt could be here to stay.
Either way, women’s college basketball just got a lot more interesting. 🚀🏀
Read More: Unbeaten UCLA NCAA Streak: Are the Bruins the Best Team in the Nation?