(MURRAY, Ky.) — With four games remaining in their regular season, the Murray State Racers women’s basketball team continued to build on an impressive 2025-26 campaign, checking in at No. 2 again this week in the latest CollegeInsider.com Women’s Mid-Major Top 25 poll released Monday, February 24.
The Racers, now 24-3 overall and one of the Missouri Valley Conference’s premier programs this season, collected 730 points in the weekly poll — including one first-place vote — cementing their standing as one of the best mid-major programs in the country.
North Dakota State holds the top spot at 25-2, claiming all but one available first-place vote and 774 total points to maintain a narrow lead over Murray State. The Bison, representing the Summit League, have been the poll’s standard-bearer for much of the season, but with the Racers right on their heels, that margin is anything but comfortable.
Rounding out the top five are Fairfield of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference at No. 3 with a 24-4 record, followed by Ivy League programs Columbia (18-6) and Princeton (21-3) at fourth and fifth, respectively.
Other notable teams in this week’s poll include South Dakota State at No. 6, Green Bay at No. 7, and Coastal Athletic Conference representative Charleston at No. 8. Sun Belt Conference programs also have a strong showing, with Troy, Arkansas State, James Madison, and Georgia Southern all ranked inside the top 15.
Now in its 16th season, the CollegeInsider.com Women’s Mid-Major Top 25 features teams from 23 eligible conferences, including the Missouri Valley, Summit, Metro Atlantic, Horizon, Ivy League, Big South, and Sun Belt. Former Pac-12 programs Oregon State and Washington State are not eligible.
The 31-member voting panel is chaired by James Madison head coach Sean O’Regan and includes coaches and media members from across the mid-major landscape.
With the Missouri Valley Conference tournament approaching and postseason positioning on the line, the Racers have an opportunity to clinch at least a share of The Valley regular-season championship Thursday night when they host Indiana State at 6 p.m.
