The women’s basketball Ancient Eight experienced a season of surprises and upsets last year. Preseason favorite Princeton did not capture the regular season or tournament title, and Harvard clinched its first March Madness berth in program history. Penn finished fourth in the conference and was the odd one out after the Ivy League sent three teams to March Madness.
In the wake of an unexpected season, let’s see each team’s conference standings heading into this year.
1. Princeton (21-8, 12-2 Ivy League)
Last season, Princeton missed out on a regular-season title, breaking its six-year winning streak. Despite this, the Tigers remain the heavy preseason favorite, receiving 17 out of 21 first-place votes in this year’s preseason poll. Losing 2023 Ivy League Rookie of the Year Madison St. Rose to an ACL tear last November pushed the team into an unsteady spot, but Princeton’s underclassmen stepped up in response. Guards Skye Belker and Fadima Tall now look to lead the team alongside fellow guard Ashley Chea, the league's only returning unanimous first team All-Ivy selection.
2. Columbia (24-7, 13-1)
Until last season, Columbia was the Ivy League’s perpetual runner-up. However, after a dominant regular season run and a first-ever program victory in March Madness play, the Lions cannot be underestimated. While the team faces significant roster losses — including 2025 Defensive Player of the Year Kitty Henderson and two-time All-Ivy honoree Cecelia Collins — it still has some major players, including first team All-Ivy guard Riley Weiss, who racked up the second-highest scoring average in the conference with 17.8 points per game. The pressure is on for back-to-back-to-back Ivy League Coach of the Year Megan Griffith to lead the Lions to a second-straight solo Ivy League title and March Madness berth.
3. Harvard (24-5, 11-3)
Harvard’s playoff run was one of the most talked-about topics in women’s basketball last March after former Crimson guard Harmoni Turner’s 44-point performance during last season’s Ivy Madness semifinal fueled the team’s Ivy League championship. Harvard enters this season facing some sizable losses, including Turner. Eyes will be on guard Saniyah Glenn-Bello to step up, but the Crimson has filled the roster with promising newcomers on its quest for a back-to-back title.
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4. Penn (15-13, 6-8)
The Quakers round out the projected Ivy Madness contenders. They are also facing the loss of a program great: first team All-Ivy guard Stina Almqvist, who led the Quakers in scoring and rebounding.
Penn’s returning lineup is headlined by sophomore forward and reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year Katie Collins and junior guard and 2024 Ivy League Rookie of the Year Mataya Gayle. Collins dominated defensively last season, leading the league in blocked shots.
With Almqvist’s graduation, there are big shoes to fill — both on the paint and in the team’s leadership, especially as the Quakers try to close the gap between themselves and the premier teams of the conference. Penn’s record is 1-13, including tournament games, against Harvard, Columbia, and Princeton over the past two seasons.
5. Brown (12-15, 6-8)
Last year, Penn’s higher NET ranking compared to Brown propelled the Quakers to Ivy Madness play. A similar story played out in the 2023-24 season, when the Quakers edged out the Bears for the final spot in the Ivy League tournament after defeating higher-seeded teams.
This year, the Bears will look to change the story and make it to Ivy Madness. All-Ivy guard Grace Arnolie is returning to dominate offensively, although the graduation of Gianna Aiello leaves the Bears’ defense in a state of turmoil. However, the Bears lost only two players in the offseason and picked up 2025 NESCAC Rookie of the Year Monét Witherspoon in the transfer portal. Only time will tell if the Bears can convert good vibes into points and wins.
6. Dartmouth (8-19, 2-12)
Dartmouth continued its upward trajectory last season by nabbing two victories in conference play. Although its sole All-Ivy nod, Victoria Page, graduated last spring, the Big Green’s two best returning players are set to return. Guard Zeynep Ozel put up the most points and three-pointers on the team after Page. Forward Olivia Austin finished fifth in the league in rebounds and contributed strong defense to the court. Dartmouth also picked up promising forward Yufei Zou from the IMG Academy. Overall, this season may be filled with growing pains as Dartmouth gains its footing with underclassmen and new coaches.
7. Cornell (7-20, 3-11)
The Big Red need to make some big changes if they want to be competitive in the Ancient Eight. Cornell finished last season as the only team without an All-Ivy selection and at the bottom of the league offensively. Last season, the Big Red also fell toward the bottom of the league in blocked shots and steals. Former forward Summer Parker-Hall led Cornell last season in scoring, steals, and blocked shots, and the team will surely feel her absence after her graduation last spring. However, forward Emily Pape, guard/forward Rachel Kaus, and guard Clarke Jackson are showing promise on the offensive end of the court.
8. Yale (4-23, 3-11)
It’s a tale of two programs: Yale men’s basketball sits atop the preseason poll, while the women’s team has fallen to the bottom of the ranks.
Yale needs to up its defensive game to try to stay competitive in the Ivy League after being at the bottom of the league for the second-straight year. Offensively, the Bulldogs have lost team-leading scorer and All-Ivy honorable mention Mackenzie Egger, who also finished fourth in the Ivy League in scoring. The team looks to build on that success with its recruits, as this year’s roster is filled with more new blood than returning players. Promising acquisitions from the transfer portal — forwards Mary Meng from Michigan State and Luisa Vydrova from Texas at El Paso — look to bolster the team’s scoring capabilities, and the team’s success will depend on it.
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