The 2024–25 Big Ten women's basketball season began with practices in October 2024, followed by the start of the 2024–25 NCAA Division I women's basketball season in November 2024. The regular season ended in March 2025.

The season was the conference's first with 18 teams as four schools—Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington—joined the conference in August 2024. The conference announced that all teams would play 18 regular season conference games with each school playing one school both home and away, while facing 16 teams once. However, only 15 of the 18 teams would qualify for the Big Ten tournament.

The USC Trojans won the regular season, with the final game against rival UCLA deciding first place. The UCLA Bruins won the 2025 Big Ten women's basketball tournament, defeating USC in the championship game.

An NCAA record twelve Big Ten teams were invited to the 2025 NCAA women's basketball tournament.Big Ten Conference Sets Record with 12 Programs Headed to the 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. Big Ten Conference, March 16, 2025 UCLA, USC, Ohio State, Maryland, Michigan, Iowa, Michigan State, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, Oregon, and Washington all received bids to the 2025 tournament. Tournament Winner UCLA was the overall No. 1 seed, and USC was the No. 4 overall seed. Minnesota was the sole Big Ten team invited to the 2025 Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT).Minnesota Selected for 2025 WBIT Field. Big Ten Conference, March 16, 2025 The Gophers won the 2025 WBIT.Youngblood, Kent - Gophers women's basketball team rolls against Belmont for WBIT title. Star Tribune, April 2, 2025

Head coaches Coaching changes

On May 13, 2024, Lisa Bluder retired as head coach at Iowa after 24 years. Longtime Iowa associate head coach Jan Jensen was named Bluder's successor later that day.

Coaches Team Head coach Previous job Years at school Overall record Big Ten record Big Ten titles Big Ten Tournament titles NCAA Tournaments NCAA Final Fours NCAA ChampionshipsIllinois Dayton 3 41–25 19–17 0 0 1 0 0Indiana Teri Moren Indiana State 11 226–99 114–60 1 0 6 0 0Iowa Jan Jensen Iowa (Assoc.) 1 0–0 0–0 0 0 0 0 0Maryland Brenda Frese Minnesota 23 582–161 146–29* 6 5 20 3 1Michigan Kim Barnes Arico St. John's (Asst.) 13 261–133 118–84 0 0 7 0 0Michigan State Robyn Fralick Bowling Green 2 22–9 12–6 0 0 1 0 0Minnesota Dawn Plitzuweit West Virginia 2 20–16 5–13 0 0 0 0 0Nebraska Amy Williams South Dakota 9 137–111 69–72 0 0 3 0 0Northwestern Joe McKeown George Washington 17 261–246 108–166 0 0 2 0 0Ohio State Kevin McGuff Washington 12 198–102 103–57 4 1 7 0 0Oregon Kelly Graves Gonzaga 11 223–100 0–0 0 0 5 0 0Penn State Carolyn Kieger Marquette 4 63–86 25–66 0 0 0 0 0Purdue Katie Gearlds Marian 4 51–45 21–32 0 0 1 0 0Rutgers Coquese Washington Notre Dame (Assoc.) 3 20–44 7–29 0 0 0 0 0UCLA Cori Close Florida State (Assoc.) 14 287–140 0–0 0 0 8 0 0USC Lindsay Gottlieb Cleveland Cavaliers (Asst.) 4 62–32 0–0 0 0 2 0 0Washington Tina Langley Rice 4 42–46 0–0 0 0 0 0 0Wisconsin Marisa Moseley Boston University 4 34–56 17–36 0 0 0 0 0 Notes All records, appearances, titles, etc. are from time with current school only. Year at school includes 2024–25season. Overall and Big Ten records are from time at current school and are through the beginning of the season. Frese's ACC conference record excluded since Maryland began Big Ten Conference play in 2014–15.

Preseason Preseason Big Ten poll Prior to the conference's annual media day, conference standings were projected by a panel of writers. RankTeam1USC2UCLA3Ohio State4Maryland5Indiana

Preseason All-Big Ten A select media panel named a preseason All-Big Ten team and player of the year.

Honor RecipientPreseason Player of the YearJuJu Watkins, USCPreseason All-Big Ten TeamMakira Cook, IllinoisHannah Stuelke, IowaLucy Olsen, IowaShyanne Sellers, MarylandAlexis Markowski, NebraskaCotie McMahon, Ohio StateLauren Betts, UCLAKiki Rice, UCLAJuJu Watkins, USCKiki Iriafen, USCSerah Williams, Wisconsin Additional player due to tie in voting

Regular season Rankings

Awards and honors Players of the Week Throughout the conference regular season, Big Ten Conference offices named two players (Player and Freshman) of the week each Monday. Week Player of the week Freshman of the weekNovember 11, 2024Destiny Adams, RutgersSyla Swords, MichiganNovember 18, 2024Lauren Betts, UCLA Mila Holloway, MichiganNovember 25, 2024Kendall Bostic, Illinois Lana McCarthy, PurdueDecember 2, 2024Ajae Petty, Ohio StateSyla Swords, MichiganDecember 9, 2024JuJu Watkins, USCOlivia Olson, MichiganDecember 16, 2024Serah Williams, WisconsinKiyomi McMiller, RutgersDecember 23, 2024JuJu Watkins, USCKiyomi McMiller, RutgersJanuary 6, 2025Kaylene Smikle, MarylandJuJu Watkins, USCTori McKinney, MinnesotaJanuary 13, 2025JuJu Watkins, USCJaloni Cambridge, Ohio StateJanuary 20, 2025Shyanne Sellers, MarylandJaloni Cambridge, Ohio StateBritt Prince, NebraskaJanuary 27, 2025Lauren Betts, UCLAAvery Howell, USCFebruary 3, 2025Lucy Olsen, IowaGenesis Bryant, IllinoisOlivia Olson, MichiganFebruary 10, 2025Kaylene Smikle, MarylandSyla Swords, MichiganFebruary 17, 2025JuJu Watkins, USCAva Watson, Ohio StateFebruary 24, 2025JuJu Watkins, USCLauren Betts, UCLAJaloni Cambridge, Ohio StateMarch 3, 2025JuJu Watkins, USCJaloni Cambridge, Ohio State

All-Big Ten awards and teams On March 4, 2025, the Big Ten announced its conference awards.

Honor Coaches Media Player of the Year JuJu Watkins, USC JuJu Watkins, USC Coach of the Year Lindsay Gottlieb, USC Lindsay Gottlieb, USC Freshman of the Year Olivia Olson, Michigan Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State Defensive Player of the Year Lauren Betts, UCLA Lauren Betts, UCLA Sixth Player of the Year Janiah Barker, UCLA Janiah Barker, UCLA All-Big Ten First Team* Lauren Betts, UCLA Lauren Betts, UCLA Kendall Bostic, Illinois Kendall Bostic, Illinois Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State Kiki Iriafen, USC Kiki Iriafen, USC Alexis Markowski, Nebraska Cotie McMahon, Ohio State Cotie McMahon, Ohio State Lucy Olsen, Iowa Lucy Olsen, Iowa Kiki Rice, UCLA Kiki Rice, UCLA Shyanne Sellers, Maryland Shyanne Sellers, Maryland JuJu Watkins, USC Kaylene Smikle, Maryland Serah Williams, Wisconsin JuJu Watkins, USC Not Selected Serah Williams, Wisconsin All-Big Ten Second Team Destiny Adams, Rutgers Destiny Adams, Rutgers Julia Ayrault, Michigan State Julia Ayrault, Michigan State Genesis Bryant, Illinois Genesis Bryant, Illinois Yarden Garzon, Indiana Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State Elle Ladine, Washington Yarden Garzon, Indiana Alexis Markowski, Nebraska Elle Ladine, Washington Olivia Olson, Michigan Olivia Olson, Michigan Kaylene Smikle, Maryland Hannah Stuelke, Iowa Syla Swords, Michigan Syla Swords, Michigan Grace VanSlooten, Michigan State Grace VanSlooten, Michigan State All-Freshman Team Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State Olivia Olson, Michigan Olivia Olson, Michigan Britt Prince, Nebraska Britt Prince, Nebraska Kennedy Smith, USC Kennedy Smith, USC Syla Swords, Michigan Syla Swords, Michigan All-Defensive Team Lauren Betts, UCLA Lauren Betts, UCLA Rayah Marshall, USC Rayah Marshall, USC Taylor Thierry, Ohio State Taylor Thierry, Ohio State JuJu Watkins, USC JuJu Watkins, USC Serah Williams, Wisconsin Serah Williams, Wisconsin

Postseason Big Ten tournament

NCAA tournament

Seed Region School First Four First round Second round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four Championship 1 S4 USC W 71–25 vs. Greensboro W 96–59 vs. Mississippi State W 67–61 vs. Kansas State L 64–78 vs. UConn 1 S1 UCLA W 84–46 vs. Southern W 84–67 vs. Richmond W 76–62 vs. Ole Miss W 72–65 vs. LSU L 51–85 vs. UConn 4 B3 Ohio State W 71–51 vs. Montana State L 67–82 vs. Tennessee 4 B2 Maryland W 82–69 vs. Norfolk State W 111–108 vs. Alabama L 67–71 vs. South Carolina 6 B3 Michigan W 80–74 vs. Iowa State L 55–76 vs. Notre Dame 6 S4 Iowa W 92–57 vs. Murray State L 62–96 vs. Oklahoma 7 S1 Michigan State W 64–50 vs. Harvard L 49–83 vs. NC State 8 B3 Illinois W 66–57 vs. Creighton L 48–65 vs. Texas 9 B2 Indiana W 76–68 vs. Utah L 53–64 vs. South Carolina 10 B2 Oregon W 77–73 vs. Vanderbilt L 53–59 vs. Duke 10 B3 Nebraska L 58–63 vs. Louisville 11 B2 Washington L 60–63 vs. Columbia W–L (%):Total:

WBIT tournament

Seed Region School 1st Round 2nd Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship 2 Colorado Minnesota W 65–53 vs. Toledo W 78–71 vs. Missouri State W 82–77 vs. Gonzaga W 66–52 vs. Florida W 75–63 vs. Belmont (Indianapolis) W–L (%): Total:

WNIT tournament

Seed Region School 1st Round 2nd Round 3rd Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship Rutgers W 71–60 vs. Army W 89–67 vs. Charleston (Piscataway) L 64–71 at Buffalo W–L (%): Total:

Notes

References