The Washington Huskies women's basketball program is making serious noise this offseason, and the national rankings are taking notice. Following a flurry of smart moves in the transfer portal, The Athletic has slotted the Huskies at No. 11 in their latest post-transfer Top 25 poll—a strong sign that head coach Tina Langley is building something special in Seattle.
Coming off a season where the Huskies cracked the AP Top 25 for the first time under Langley's leadership, the team is now ranked fourth in the loaded Big Ten Conference. Only USC (No. 3), Michigan (No. 4), and Minnesota (No. 9) sit ahead of them in the conference pecking order. That's elite company, and it signals that Washington is no longer just a rising program—it's a contender.
The offseason roster rebuild has been nothing short of impressive. Langley and her staff have already secured four key transfers, including a major late addition: former five-star forward Kaelyn Carroll from Kentucky. She joins a talented incoming group that includes North Carolina State forward Tilda Trygger (10.6 points per game last season) and a pair of guards—ex-Colorado State standout and former Oklahoma State junior Macey Huard. Having two transfers who averaged double-figure scoring last season is a massive boost for a team that lacked consistent offensive production from its departing seniors and outgoing transfers.
Perhaps the most exciting development is the potential frontcourt pairing of Carroll and returning sophomore Brynn McGaughy. McGaughy averaged 9.3 points and 4.3 rebounds this past season, and adding a former five-star talent like Carroll—who didn't start as a freshman but flashed serious upside in the SEC—gives Washington a dynamic inside-out presence that should cause matchup headaches across the conference.
Last season, the Huskies climbed as high as No. 20 in the AP poll after a narrow 59-50 loss at No. 16 USC. They finished the year ranked No. 25 following a hard-fought 62-59 overtime loss to No. 14 TCU in the NCAA Tournament's Second Round. That postseason experience, combined with this offseason's roster upgrades, has the program poised for a deeper run in 2026-27.
With the transfer portal still active and more additions possible, Washington's trajectory is clearly pointing up. For Huskies fans, the wait for a consistent national contender might finally be over.