Louisville head coach Jeff Walz instructed his team against Oklahoma during their game at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. on Dec. 4, 2024. Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Louisville Cracks On3's Way-Too-Early 2025-26 Women's Top 25 Poll

Originally posted on Louisville Cardinals on SI
By Matthew McGavic | Last updated May 19, 2025 10:48 AM ET

We're just over midway through the month of May, and rosters all across women's college basketball are pretty close to being completely set. The end of the 2024-25 season came roughly a month and a half ago, and the transfer portal window has been closed for over three weeks.

While there is still of handful of roster moves still on the horizon across the sport, and the 2025-26 season doesn't start for another five-and-a-half months, we're starting to get an idea of what the women's hoops landscape will look like when opening day rolls around. As such, "Way-Too-Early" preseason polls for next season are starting to get published.

As you can imagine, Louisville is one such program starting to generate top-25 buzz for next season. On3's Talia Goodman released her "Way-Too-Early" women's college basketball Top 25 poll on Monday, and she has the Cardinals coming in as the No. 19 team in the nation.

The Cardinals are one of five ACC teams to make the cut, behind No. 6 Duke, No. 9 North Carolina and No. 11 NC State, while ahead of No. 25 Notre Dame. South Carolina, UConn, Texas, UCLA and LSU round out the top five overall.

While Louisville loses veterans presences like Jayda Curry and Olivia Cochran, they are still shaping up to be a very talented team for next season. They're bringing back standout freshman Tajianna Roberts, as well as contributors Mackenly Randolph and Imari Berry, and are welcoming transfers Skylar Jones, Reyna Scott and Laura Ziegler.

Louisville started year 18 under head coach Jeff Walz at just 6-5, but went on to win 14 of their next 15 games before alternating wins and losses over the final seven, finishing at 22-11 overall. The Cardinals took down Nebraska in their NCAA Tournament opener, but fell to Hailey Van Lith and TCU in the second round.