March Madness wouldn’t be complete without a Cinderella story to galvanize the nation.
Although the top seeds in the Women’s NCAA Tournament have enjoyed a majority of the success, there’s several notable upsets and underdog stories along the way. Like when No. 16 seed Harvard ― led by UConn star Sarah Strong’s mom Allison Feaster ― upset No. 1 seed Stanford in 1998, the only time a No. 16 seed has won in tournament history. Or when Courtney Vandersloot led No. 11 Gonzaga to the Elite Eight in 2011.
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Can another program etch their name into the history books with an improbable run? Here’s five sleeper teams that could bust some brackets in the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament:
No. 4 West Virginia (24-6, 14-4 Big 12)
West Virginia’s defense is suffocating and the team’s constant full-court presses and pressure makes points hard to come by for any opponent. The Mountaineers force an average of 22.15 turnovers per game (13th best in the nation) and have a turnover margin of 6.70 (18th best). Their disruptive defense was on display in West Virginia’s upset win over TCU in the Big 12 Tournament final, led by a 21-point performance by Jordan Harrison. The Mountaineers open the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament at home for the first time since 1992 with a first-round matchup against No.13 Miami (Ohio) and could meet No. 5 Kentucky in the second round and No. 1 Texas in the Sweet 16. The Mountaineers have heart and a chip on their shoulder, which makes them extremely dangerous.
No. 5 Kentucky (23-9, 8-8 SEC)
Kentucky finished seventh in a stacked SEC conference after stumbling to the regular-season finish line, dropping seven of their last 11 games. But the Wildcats showed up at the SEC Tournament and made a run to the quarterfinals behind dominant performances from junior Clara Strack. The 6-foot-5 center recorded a double-double (20 points, 13 rebounds) against Arkansas and tied her season-high with 33 points in a win over Georgia, where she went 5-of-7 from the 3-point line. Strack leads Kentucky in points (17.1), rebounds (10), blocks (2.6) and steals (1.2). Kentucky is heating up and could make some noise in the Fort Worth 3 bracket as a No. 5 seed. The Wildcats kick off March Madness with a first-round matchup against James Madison, where Kenny Brooks served as a head coach from 2003 to 2016 and remains the program’s winningest coach. Kentucky could face West Virginia in the second round and a potential Sweet 16 matchup against No. 1 Texas if all goes well.
No. 10 Arizona State (24-10, 9-9 Big 12)
Arizona State is in midst of a remarkable turnaround. Under first-year head coach Molly Miller, the Sun Devils improved from a 10-22 record last year to 24 wins this season, the team’s most since 2015-16. As a result, Arizona State clawed its way into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019 and will tipoff play in the First Four for a spot in the field of 64. The Sun Devils’ identity is rooted in “defensive consistency,” Miller told USA TODAY Sports. They are holding opponents to 60.6 points a game and averaging 9.5 steals. Arizona State played West Virginia close in the Big 12 quarterfinal game before the Sun Devils ultimately ran out of gas in their third game in as many days, but look for Arizona State to be reenergized for March Madness.
No. 11 Rhode Island (28-4, 16-2 Atlantic 10)
Rhode Island may be a mid-major conference making its first appearance since 1996, but the Rams can’t be overlooked. “I wouldn’t want to be Rhode Island’s opponent in the first round,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said Sunday during a conversation with Rhode Island head coach Tammi Reiss, her former teammate at Virginia. Staley isn’t lying. Rhode Island compiled a program-record 28 wins this season and will go for its first NCAA Tournament win in program history against an Alabama team that dropped six of its final eight regular-season games. No. 11 seeds have a 51-124 overall record in the Women’s NCAA Tournament and have advanced as far as the Elite Eight once in 2011 (Gonzaga). The Rams could face No. 3 Louisville in the second round and No. 3 Michigan in the Sweet 16 before even thinking of a possible Elite Eight appearance against Texas.
No. 11 Fairfield (28-4, 19-1 MAAC)
Fairfield enters the 2026 NCAA Tournament as a No. 11 seed, the highest seeding in program history, and the Stags have their eyes on another milestone — their first March Madness win. Fairfield will rely heavily on the long ball with a nation-leading 11.4 3-pointers per game. The Stags are shooting 36.95% from the 3-point line, which ranks 10th in the country, and are holding opponents to 55.8 points per game, 13th best in the country. Fairfield has a first-round date against a Notre Dame team that lacks depth after losing a majority of last year’s starters. The Fighting Irish have made four consecutive Sweet 16 appearances, but Notre Dame is on upset watch.
Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 women’s March Madness sleeper teams: Fairfield leads bracket-busters
