The 2026 Women's March Madness bracket is officially ours to pick apart and theorize about all the different outcomes we could see. This NCAA women's basketball season has been an exciting one. Between the regular-season upsets and the conference tournaments, leaving us with so much to think about, we can bet on March Madness fulfilling all our expectations.
The first round of March Madness will officially kick off this Friday, March 20. So, people are filling in their brackets as we speak. When it comes to the women's tournament, there are so many different ways to go. You could pick based on who you want to win. Like, the thought of players like Lauren Betts, Rori Harmon, or Olivia Miles leaving college without a ring might sway you. Or you could pick strictly based on statistics. If UConn hasn't lost all season, what are the chances they do in the next six matchups?
With all that being said, here are our Final Four picks for the 2026 Women's March Madness Tournament.
Fort Worth 1: UConn
This shouldn't really come as a shock. If anyone doesn't have UConn in their Final Four, they can probably see the future, and something crazy has happened. The biggest competition UConn will have in reaching the Final Four will be Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt has one of the most important players in the nation in Mikayla Blakes. I say most important because if she's having an off night, Vanderbilt's chances of winning go down. I don't see them pulling off a UConn upset, strictly because this Huskies defense is unreal. But this matchup will be entertaining for other reasons. Vanderbilt's head coach, Shea Ralph, played under Geno Auriemma from 1996 to 2001 and won a championship with UConn in 2000. She returned to UConn women's basketball in 2008 as an assistant coach. She helped lead UConn to 12 Final Four appearances.
If anyone in this region knows Geno Auriemma, it's Shea Ralph. When asked about Coach Ralph, Auriemma said, "Whatever I've got, she's got it." While I think this will add an extra factor to the potential Elite Eight matchup, I also believe it'll be much harder to stop the Huskies from reaching the National Championship.
Sacramento 2: UCLA
This region might have the toughest opponents and the potential for some really fun matchups. LSU is the No. 2 seed here and is the most likely opponent that UCLA will face for a spot in the Final Four. But there are a few sneaky schools that are looking, and have the weapons to pull off upsets — Duke and Ole Miss, and even Baylor come to mind. Although I still think UCLA comes out of this region unscathed.
The Bruins are stacked with a starting five of seniors who are all hopeful to hear their names called at the upcoming WNBA Draft. Last year, UCLA lost in the Final Four. Since then, they've added some serious weapons, like Gianna Kneepkens and Charlisse Leger-Walker, who have been showing up in big moments all season. And of course, Lauren Betts is still the best center in women's college basketball. We know this team is determined to get back to the Final Four with the chance of winning it all. Right now, I do not see a team in this region that will be able to stop them.
Fort Worth 3: Texas
Texas pulled off its biggest win of the season in dominant fashion a week ago. They took down South Carolina in the SEC Championship with a final score of 78-61. They looked the most determined and focused I'd seen them all season. If they can channel that same energy through their region, I see them making it to the Final Four.
Senior Rori Harmon and Junior Madison Booker are both having phenomenal years. There's a good chance both of them will have to perform well for Texas to get through this region intact. There are some tough opponents in Fort Worth 3. While the SEC is a stacked conference, Texas will now potentially be facing off against other Power 5 contenders, like Louisville and Michigan. They will also potentially have to battle through Kentucky and Tennessee again. In the regular season, they only beat Kentucky by 11 and Tennessee by 2.
While ultimately Texas is my Final Four pick for this region, the margin is a bit smaller than the other regions. Getting the third No. 1 seed and staying in Fort Worth through the Elite Eight is a major benefit for this Longhorns squad.
Sacramento 4: South Carolina
Something about South Carolina falling to Texas in the SEC Championship makes me feel even stronger about them making it to the Final Four. I wouldn't bet against Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks in their best year, but especially not when they're possibly coming into the tourney with a chip on their shoulders.
Not only have they had a whole year to think about losing to UConn in the 2025 National Championship, but Dawn Staley aired out her thoughts after the SEC Championship loss this year. She said, "...I told them that the last time we lost in this situation, we won a national championship." She continued, "It might be the very thing this team needs."
The Gamecocks' biggest competition in this region will most likely be Iowa and Oklahoma, and possibly TCU. TCU suffered a loss in the Big 12 Championship, which I'm sure is still lingering for them heading into March Madness. Iowa has had a great season, its best since Caitlin Clark left. They've beaten Michigan twice but suffered a brutal loss to UCLA in the Big Ten Championship. When it comes to Oklahoma, that potential matchup could be really exciting. The Sooners handed South Carolina its second loss of the season, a 94-82 overtime loss. As I said, I still just wouldn't bet against South Carolina. They are a team that thrives in March. There's a great chance we see them in the Final Four again this season.