December 6, 1981
| Rank | School | Conference | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Louisiana Tech | Independent | - |
| 2. | Old Dominion | Independent | - |
| 3. | South Carolina | Independent | - |
| 4. | USC | WCAA | - |
| 5. | Long Beach State | WCAA | - |
| 6. | Cheyney | Independent | - |
| 7. | Rutgers | AIAW Region 1B | 3 |
| 8. | Maryland | ACC | 3 |
| 9. | NC State | ACC | - |
| 10. | Tennessee | SEC | 3 |
| 11. | Kansas | Independent | 3 |
| 12. | UCLA | WCAA | 4 |
| 13. | Kentucky | SEC | 1 |
| 14. | Georgia | SEC | 2 |
| 15. | Stephen F. Austin | Independent | - |
| 16. | Oregon | NWBL | 3 |
| 17. | Clemson | ACC | - |
| 18. | Illinois | Big 10 | 1 |
| 19. | Detroit | Independent | new |
| 20. | Penn State | Independent | - |
| 20. | Texas | AIAW Region 4 | 2 |