Entering Sunday’s women’s NCAA Tournament bracket reveal, there was a looming question about who would be the field’s top seed. In a season full of parity, SEC tournament champion South Carolina and Big Ten tournament champion UCLA both had strong cases.

The Bruins, however, were given the overall No. 1 designation.

The Gamecocks were still one of the four No. 1 seeds, and they were joined by Texas and USC on the No. 1 line. Around the group is a deep field. No singular dominant team emerged in the 2024-25 season. Four programs held the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, tying the record most recently set in 2021.

The Bruins (30-2) hope their momentum continues into the field of 68. Last weekend, UCLA captured its first conference championship since 2006, defeating USC in the third matchup between the two Los Angeles powerhouses. With the victory, UCLA, which had spent 12 consecutive weeks atop the AP poll this season, eclipsed 30 wins for the first time in program history.

Junior center Lauren Betts leads the Bruins in points (19.6), rebounds (9.7), blocks (2.9) and field goal percentage (63.4 percent), having emerged as the program’s All-America-level focal point. Coach Cori Close’s team is one of the most experienced in the field, with seven of their eight most-used players being upperclassmen.

The Gamecocks (30-3), the second No. 1 seed, hope to become the first repeat champions since UConn in 2015-16. Although they lost three games this season, their most since 2020-21, this year’s group is still just as dangerous. South Carolina features a rotation that is one of the deepest in the nation with freshman forward Joyce Edwards, sophomore forward Chloe Kitts and sophomore guard MiLaysia Fulwiley excelling in recent SEC games.

The Gamecocks went undefeated last season, and returned four starters. They are looking to advance to their fifth consecutive Final Four and win their third national title in four years.

The Trojans (28-3) and Longhorns (31-3) are both No. 1 seeds for the second consecutive season.

USC features arguably the country’s top player, sophomore guard JuJu Watkins. Watkins has scored 20 points or more in an NCAA-leading 26 games this season, and she is likely to be an All-American for the second consecutive season. Texas also has an elite sophomore in wing Madison Booker. Booker was named her conference’s player of the year for the second consecutive season, and leads a Longhorns program that is No. 2 in points differential per 100 possessions. Both schools either won outright, or shared conference regular-season titles, but lost in their respective tournament championship games.

The top 16 teams in the women’s field host the opening two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Then, for the third consecutive year, the women’s tournament will use only two host cities for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds. The sides of the draw are determined by their regional final location and a number. Birmingham, Ala. and Spokane, Wash. are the two host sites.

UCLA leads Spokane Regional 1, South Carolina is in Birmingham Regional 2, Texas tops Birmingham Regional 3 and USC is atop Spokane Regional 4.

Tampa, Fla. will host the 2025 Final Four, with the semifinals set for April 4 and the final set for April 6.

This story will be updated as the full bracket is revealed. More to come.

Spokane Regional 1

1. UCLA vs. 16. UC San Diego/Southern 8. Richmond vs. 9. Georgia Tech 5. Ole Miss vs. 12. Ball State 4. Baylor vs. 13. Grand Canyon 6. Florida State vs. 11. George Mason 3. LSU vs. 14. San Diego State 7. Michigan State vs. 10. Harvard

2. NC State vs. 15. Vermont

Birmingham Regional 2

1. South Carolina vs. 16. Tennessee Tech 8. Utah vs. 9. Indiana 5. Alabama vs. 12. Green Bay 4. Maryland vs. 13. Norfolk State 6. West Virginia vs. 11. Columbia/Washington 3. North Carolina vs. 14. Oregon State 7. Vanderbilt vs. 10. Oregon

2. Duke vs. 15. Lehigh

Birmingham Regional 3

1. Texas vs. 16. High Point/William & Mary 8. Illinois vs. 9. Creighton 5. Tennessee vs. 12. South Florida 4. Ohio State vs. 13. Montana State 6. Michigan vs. 11. Iowa State/Princeton 3. Notre Dame vs. 14. Stephen F. Austin 7. Louisville vs. 10. Nebraska

2. TCU vs. 15. Fairleigh Dickinson

Spokane Regional 4

1. USC vs. 16. UNC Greensboro 8. California vs. 9. Mississippi State 5. Kansas State vs. 12. Fairfield 4. Kentucky vs. 13. Liberty 6. Iowa vs. 11. Murray State 3. Oklahoma vs. 14. Florida Gulf Coast 7. Oklahoma State vs. 10. South Dakota State

2. UConn vs. 15. Arkansas State

(Photo: Patrick McDermott / Getty Images)