Kansas State Women’s Basketball Cracks USA Today Preseason Rankings

Much of the core group from that Sweet 16 team graduated, leaving a younger, largely rebuilt roster in place. The 2025–26 Wildcats feature one senior, two juniors, and a promising group of underclassmen eager to make their mark. For Mittie and his staff, the goal is to blend that youth with the program’s championship standards.

Big 12 Representation in the Poll

Kansas State’s inclusion among the top 25 also underscores the growing strength of the Big 12 Conference. The Wildcats are one of five Big 12 teams ranked in the USA TODAY preseason poll. They joined TCU at No. 12, Iowa State at No. 17, Baylor at No. 18, and Oklahoma State at No. 22. West Virginia narrowly missed the cut, listed as the first team out.

The depth of ranked Big 12 teams highlights what should be one of the most competitive conference slates in women’s college basketball this season.

National Top Five and Other Rankings

At the top of the national poll, perennial powerhouses UConn, South Carolina, Texas, UCLA, and LSU hold the top five spots. Those teams set the national standard that programs like Kansas State will aim to close the gap on this season.

The Big 12 Coaches’ Preseason Poll placed the Wildcats seventh in the conference, with no players named to the preseason all-conference team. Meanwhile, the Associated Press preseason poll had Kansas State just outside the rankings, sitting 31st with 15 points.

Before the regular season tips off, Kansas State will get a tune-up game at Tarleton State on Monday, Oct. 27. The exhibition matchup will give Mittie’s young team valuable minutes to gel before the real tests begin. The Wildcats will then officially open the 2025–26 season at Bramlage Coliseum against Omaha on Monday, Nov. 3, at 6:30 p.m.