UConn enters the 2026 women's NCAA tournament as the No. 1 overall seed and a unanimous pick to win the Fort Worth 1 Region. The Huskies, six wins from their 13th national title, dominated ESPN analysts' brackets with all 22 voters selecting them to reach the Elite Eight. UConn's path to Phoenix appears clear after receiving all 22 votes in their region.

South Carolina, Texas and UCLA also received strong support as No. 1 seeds, with 21, 19 and 15 votes respectively in their regions. LSU emerged as a popular dark horse pick, with analysts praising their perimeter play led by Flau'jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams. The Tigers' 94.5 PPG scoring average makes them a threat to any top seed, despite facing a brutal potential path through UCLA, Texas and either UConn or South Carolina.

Louisville presents another challenge as a No. 3 seed with the potential to upset No. 1 Texas, whose reluctance to embrace 3-point shooting could prove costly. The Cardinals' balanced scoring and defensive capabilities make them dangerous in a potential Elite Eight matchup. Meanwhile, the first-round battle between NC State and Tennessee offers compelling drama as both unranked teams meet in Ann Arbor after dramatically different seasons.