Let’s go dancing! The 2026 Women’s March Madness bracket is officially set, with dominant regular-season teams locking up the top seeds and a few potential Cinderellas ready to shake up the dance floor. Before the tournament tips off with the First Four matchups on Wednesday, March 17, let’s take a look at the four No. 1 seeds and their odds to win it all on DraftKings Sportsbook.
No. 1 Overall Seed: UConn Huskies
There’s absolutely no shocker here. The Huskies roll into March Madness not only as the reigning champions, but with a spotless 34-0 record and a casual 50-game winning streak to go with it. Sophomore Sarah Strong has stood out among the rest, consistently filling up the stat sheet while being a defensive menace. She leads the pack with 18.5 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 3.6 SPG, and 1.6 BPG while shooting a ridiculous 60.1% from the field. Pair her with senior Azzi Fudd, who’s averaging 17.7 PPG and is likely a top pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, and you’ve got a team that very clearly has its sights set on repeating. The Huskies are the current favorites to win it all at -265 on DraftKings Sportsbook, and the next team chasing them down happens to be on the complete opposite coast.
UCLA Bruins
Enter your Big Ten Tournament champions. After winning their second consecutive Big Ten title, the Bruins head into March Madness fresh off a 96-45 demolition of Iowa and a well-earned No. 1 seed. Leading the charge is 6-foot-7 senior Lauren Betts, who is, in fact, exactly as difficult to deal with as that height suggests. Betts leads UCLA in both scoring (16.4 PPG) and rebounding (8.6 RPG) while shooting 56.2% from the field. Senior Kiki Rice has been a steady bucket all season, averaging 15.3 PPG while adding 4.5 APG. UCLA’s main distributor, though, is guard Charlisse Leger-Walker, who averages 5.6 assists per game and adds even more depth to a roster that already has plenty of it. At +550 to take home the title, the Bruins are expected to be dancing deep into this tournament.
Texas Longhorns
The Longhorns have already rocked the boat this season after upsetting top-seeded South Carolina to win the SEC championship. Junior Madison Booker leads Texas in scoring with 18.9 PPG while adding 6.5 RPG, and sophomore Jordan Lee chipped in 13.2 PPG throughout the regular season. While the Longhorns may not be quite as deep as a team like UCLA, they’ve already proven they can hang with the best of them. Nothing says “contender” like wins over both UCLA and South Carolina at the Players Era Championship back in November. Texas currently sits at +700 to win the National Championship and will be eyeing at least another Final Four appearance in 2026.
South Carolina Gamecocks
Last, but certainly not least among the No. 1 seeds, is South Carolina. As mentioned above, the Gamecocks were upset 78-61 by Texas in the SEC Tournament championship and will be looking to bounce back in the Big Dance. Fun fact: South Carolina has lost to the Longhorns three times in two seasons but is 32-1 against the rest of the SEC. Funny how kryptonite works. Despite that hiccup, South Carolina hasn’t exactly lost its dominance, earning a No. 1 seed for the sixth consecutive season. Sophomore Joyce Edwards leads the squad with 19.6 PPG and 6.3 RPG, while four other Gamecocks average double-digit scoring. That includes transfers Ta’Niya Latson (14.3 PPG) and Madina Okot (13.4 PPG). Arguably the deepest scoring roster among the No. 1 seeds, South Carolina will look to reach its sixth straight Final Four and chase a fourth national championship. The Gamecocks sit at +800 to win it all on DraftKings Sportsbook.
DraftKings Network is covering both the women’s and men’s NCAA Tournaments, so stay tuned for previews, picks, and premium analysis!
