Nearly 30 NCAA women's college basketball programs are set to switch conferences before the 2026/27 season, marking a significant reshuffle in the sport. These changes represent the biggest single-year realignment in recent NCAA history, affecting every level of women's basketball.
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The revitalized Pac-12 is at the forefront of this change. After nearly dwindling to only two teams, Oregon State and Washington State, the conference has expanded by adding Texas State, Gonzaga, and five teams from the Mountain West: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State. This expansion brings the Pac-12 back to nine teams, reestablishing its presence across the Western United States. The women's conference tournament is scheduled for March 9-13, 2027, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
In addition to the Pac-12, several other programs are also joining new conferences. The Mountain West, which lost five teams, has filled those gaps by bringing in Hawaii, UC Davis, and UTEP. Meanwhile, the Western Athletic Conference has rebranded as the United Athletic Conference, incorporating six former ASUN programs. UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego will transition to the West Coast Conference starting in 2027.
These realignments are expected to create new matchups, alter travel requirements, and reshape the competitive landscape in women's college basketball as teams prepare for March.