PRINCETON, N.J. — After a thrilling 2024-25 campaign that saw three Ivies (Columbia, Princeton, and Harvard) secure bids to the NCAA Tournament, the Ivy League women's basketball is all set to kick off the 2025-26 season on Friday night. Seven Ivies take the floor on Friday, with all eight schools kicking off their campaigns by the end of the weekend. 
 
2024-25 RECAP
Columbia (Ivy League Champions), Princeton, and Harvard (Ivy League Tournament Champions) earned bids to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, with the Lions earning a first-four win against Washington.
 
The historic three bids into the NCAA Tournament followed an unforgettable Ivy League Women's Basketball Tournament. Third-seeded Harvard earned their first Ivy League Tournament title, knocking off top-seeded Columbia 73-70 in the final.
 
Following the season, the Ivy League's reputation for developing top-tier talent was further solidified as two former Ivies, Harvard's Harmoni Turner and Princeton's Kaitlyn Chen, were selected in the WNBA Draft.
 
2025-26 SEASON PREVIEW
For the second consecutive year, the preseason poll has many believing it will be a tight race for the Ivy League title during the 2025-26 campaign. Princeton, Columbia, and Harvard all earned first-place votes. The Tigers are the preseason favorites, garnering 17 first-place votes.
 
Two Ivies garnered national recognition as Columbia's Riley Weiss and Princeton's Madison St. Rose were named to the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Preseason Watch List. Weiss ranked 10th in the nation with 96 made three-pointers last season, the sixth most in league history. St. Rose missed most of the season in 2024-25, but the junior looks to be a spark plug in the Tiger offense after earning Rookie of the Year honors in her first season.
 
On the coaching side, Columbia's Megan Griffith, Princeton's Carla Berube, and Harvard's Carrie Moore were named to the 2026 Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Watch List.
 
OPENING WEEK
In the opening week of the season, Ivies will take on Big East, ACC, and Big Ten opponents (Harvard vs.  St. John's, Princeton vs. Georgia Tech, Harvard vs. Michigan).
 
Link to full composite schedule.