Women’s College Basketball 2025-26: Tracking Undefeated Teams as Conference Play Begins

Conference play puts undefeated starts under the microscope

With conference play underway, the conversation around women’s college basketball naturally shifts. Early-season records still matter, but league games tend to raise the stakes and expose teams to more regular, high-level tests. That is why this part of the calendar is often when fans begin asking a simple question: which undefeated teams can realistically keep that record intact?

Through Jan. 7 of the 2025-26 season, only three teams have yet to take a loss. Each program has reached that point in a different way—some through a schedule already packed with high-level opponents, others through a start that is historically significant for the school and now faces a tougher stretch as conference play arrives.

Below is a look at the three remaining unbeaten teams, including notable opponents they have already handled and the key matchups still ahead before January ends.

UConn: unbeaten with one of the nation’s toughest schedules

Among the undefeated teams, UConn stands out for the difficulty of its schedule so far. The NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rates the Huskies’ schedule as the fourth-toughest in the country out of 363 teams. That is a notable marker at this stage of the season because it suggests UConn has not simply avoided danger; it has sought out—and navigated—challenging games.

From a résumé standpoint, the Huskies have already played a substantial number of quality opponents. They have faced four Quad 1 opponents and five Quad 2 opponents. Those categories are commonly used to describe the strength of competition and the value of wins, and UConn’s profile indicates it has been tested across multiple tiers of strong opponents while still maintaining an undefeated record.

That level of difficulty is not easing as January progresses. Before the month ends, UConn still has notable games ahead, including matchups with Villanova, Notre Dame, and Seton Hall again. Villanova is listed at 35th in the NET, a detail that underscores the quality of that upcoming opponent. The presence of multiple notable games in a short span is one reason UConn’s unbeaten start is likely to remain a point of attention as conference play continues to shape the season.

• Schedule difficulty: 4th-toughest schedule in the nation (out of 363 teams) per NET

• Quality opponents faced: Four Quad 1 games and five Quad 2 games to date

• Notable games still ahead before January ends: Villanova (35th in NET), Notre Dame, Seton Hall again

Vanderbilt: a best-ever start meets its first major conference test

Vanderbilt’s undefeated start carries a different kind of significance: it is the best start in program history. The Commodores had previously opened seasons 13-0 on two occasions, but never better than that. This year’s run has pushed beyond those prior benchmarks, placing Vanderbilt in a rare position for the program as conference play begins.

One question hovering around Vanderbilt’s unbeaten record was the caliber of opponents it had faced. Up to that point, the Commodores had not played a single Quad 1 game. That type of detail often shapes how an undefeated start is interpreted—whether it is seen primarily as a product of steady execution, scheduling, or a combination of both.

Conference season, however, tends to answer those questions quickly. Vanderbilt’s first major test arrived against No. 5 LSU. LSU entered the matchup undefeated itself until a Thursday loss to No. 11 Kentucky—described as LSU’s first test of the year. Vanderbilt responded by earning a win over LSU, a result that both added a significant victory to the Commodores’ season and handed the Tigers their second loss in a row.

For Vanderbilt, the win served two purposes at once. It preserved the undefeated record while also addressing the earlier concern about the lack of Quad 1 opportunities. It also arrived in a moment when conference play is beginning to define teams’ identities and résumés. The Commodores’ ability to win that kind of game is part of why their unbeaten status remains meaningful as the schedule intensifies.

• Program context: Best start in Vanderbilt history; previously started 13-0 twice but never better

• Early résumé note: Had not played a Quad 1 game before conference play

• Signature conference result: Defeated No. 5 LSU, handing LSU its second consecutive loss

Texas Tech: building a résumé with Quad 1 wins and more tests ahead

Texas Tech remains undefeated while also adding notable résumé points as the season moves into conference play. The Lady Raiders recently strengthened their profile by earning a win over West Virginia on Wednesday, which marked their second Quad 1 win of the season.

That result built on an earlier highlight: Texas Tech defeated No. 21 Baylor on Dec. 21. Taken together, those wins show the Lady Raiders have already found ways to win against strong competition, and they have done so while keeping their record clean.

The month is not finished presenting challenges. Before January ends, Texas Tech has Kansas State and No. 10 Iowa State looming on the schedule. Those games represent the kind of stretch that can define an early season—especially for an unbeaten team that is now being evaluated not only on record but also on the quality and consistency of its performance against notable opponents.

• Recent résumé boost: Beat West Virginia for a second Quad 1 win

• Notable earlier result: Defeated No. 21 Baylor on Dec. 21

• Key games still ahead before January ends: Kansas State, No. 10 Iowa State

What the undefeated list says—and what it does not

At this point in the season, the undefeated list is short: three teams remain without a loss through Jan. 7. But the paths those teams have taken highlight why an unbeaten record can mean different things depending on context. UConn’s schedule strength stands out nationally, with multiple Quad 1 and Quad 2 games already played and more notable opponents ahead. Vanderbilt’s start is historically significant for the program, and the win over No. 5 LSU provides a clear benchmark as conference play begins. Texas Tech has already collected multiple Quad 1 wins and is staring at more notable games before the end of the month.

What the list does not do is guarantee what comes next. Conference play has a way of compressing the margin for error. Familiar opponents, road environments, and the grind of league schedules often produce results that reshape standings quickly. That is why the next set of games—particularly those highlighted above—will matter not only for keeping a zero in the loss column, but also for how each team’s season profile develops.

Also tracking the other end of the standings: teams still seeking a first win

While attention often focuses on teams that have not lost, the season also includes programs still searching for their first victory. Through this point in the 2025-26 season, there are teams without any wins to consider as well. Updates are also being tracked for schools that have yet to pick up a win.

As of this checkpoint, three teams are still looking for that first win of the season. Their situations are part of the broader landscape of conference play, where early struggles can be magnified but also where opportunities for improvement and breakthroughs can emerge as schedules continue.

Undefeated teams through Jan. 7 (2025-26)

• UConn

• Vanderbilt

• Texas Tech

Looking ahead to the rest of January

The calendar matters for all three unbeaten teams because each has notable opponents still ahead before January ends. UConn’s upcoming run includes Villanova (35th in NET), Notre Dame, and Seton Hall again. Texas Tech has Kansas State and No. 10 Iowa State looming. Vanderbilt has already stepped into conference play and passed a major test by defeating No. 5 LSU, a result that adds weight to its best-ever start.

As conference play continues, the undefeated tracker is likely to change—sometimes quickly. But through Jan. 7, these three teams have separated themselves by avoiding a loss, and each has a different set of reasons that their unbeaten start stands out. Whether the next few weeks preserve that list or shrink it further will depend on how they handle the notable matchups already on the schedule.