Summary

• Princeton women’s basketball is dominating the 2025–26 season with a 14–1 record, a 12-game winning streak, and a No. 22 national ranking, powered by stars Madison St. Rose, Ashley Chea, and Olivia Hutcherson.
• The Tigers have distinguished themselves through grit, late-game resilience, and strong bench production, thriving in close wins against both Ivy League and nonconference opponents.
• With Ivy League play underway and a strong ranking, Princeton is positioned as a top contender for the conference title and a deep postseason run.

The Princeton Tigers are on a tear. They’re 14-1 overall (including 2-0 in conference play) and are on a 12-game winning streak. A recent AP poll put them at No. 22 nationally, their national highest ranking in over five years. What exactly makes this team so good, and what’s in store for the rest of the season?

What they’re made of:

Three players are largely responsible for Princeton’s success in the 2025-26 season. The first, Madison St. Rose, is back after missing most of the 2024-25 season due to injury. She easily racks up more than 10 points in every game, and recently led all scorers with 18 points in a 76-50 win over Yale.

Princeton has a strong core of players, like junior Ashley Chea, with eligibility beyond this season. Time will tell if they can keep them together

She scored a combined 35 points with teammate Ashley Chea, another major difference-maker on the court. Chea, a junior forward, also consistently scores in the double digits and hit the game-winning overtime bucket in a dramatic win over George Mason.

The team is also bolstered by junior guard Olivia Hutcherson, who was named the Ivy League Player of the Week for the first time in her career to kick off 2026. She is also only the third Princeton Tiger to earn that accolade, which she achieved after earning a career-high 20 points in a 74-68 win over Penn.

Hutcherson's Player of the Week reflects just how many different threats the Tigers have.

How they play:

This season, the Tigers are defined by just how hard they play. Their grittiness was especially on display in two close victories against Penn and George Mason. In the former game on Jan. 3, the Penn Quakers took the lead with 5:44 to go in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers battled back to close the deficit and ultimately win the game.

In the latter competition on Dec. 20, the Tigers rallied to catch up to the George Mason Patriots and force overtime. Ashley Chea’s bucket with two seconds to go proved to be the game winner, and Princeton went home with the hard-earned road win. The 2025-26 Tigers play with a level of resilience and determination that proves to make the difference when it matters most.

Additionally, the Tigers make good use of their bench. On Jan. 10th’s 76-50 victory over Yale, Princeton tied its season best with 20 bench points, including eight points from sophomore forward Emily Eadie.

What’s next:

Though Princeton is 2-0 to start conference play, they still have to make their way through a dozen more conference games, including what are likely to be tough matchups against Brown, Cornell and Columbia. Their nonconference schedule handed them some challenging opponents, but the only other Top 25 team they faced (Maryland) defeated them. Therefore, the picture of just how good this team is is not yet entirely clear.

Madison St Rose has had a huge impact since returning from her ACL Injury.

But what is clear is that the Tigers are likely to see the postseason. They have a great chance to win the Ivy League tournament; if not, they will likely earn an at-large bid. With a No. 5 ranking in WAB, a postseason run seems all but sure; exactly how far they can go is the question.