December 23, 1996
| Rank | School | Conference | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Connecticut | Big East | 1 |
| 2. | Old Dominion | CAA | 2 |
| 3. | Stanford | Pac-10 | 2 |
| 4. | Georgia | SEC | 1 |
| 5. | Louisiana Tech | Sun Belt | - |
| 6. | Tennessee | SEC | - |
| 7. | Alabama | SEC | - |
| 8. | NC State | ACC | - |
| 9. | Western Kentucky | Sun Belt | 1 |
| 10. | Virginia | ACC | 2 |
| 11. | Texas Tech | Big 12 | - |
| 12. | Texas | Big 12 | 1 |
| 13. | Duke | ACC | 2 |
| 14. | Vanderbilt | SEC | - |
| 15. | Penn State | Big 10 | 6 |
| 16. | Wisconsin | Big 10 | 2 |
| 17. | Auburn | SEC | 3 |
| 18. | Notre Dame | Big East | 2 |
| 19. | Kansas | Big 12 | 2 |
| 20. | North Carolina | ACC | 1 |
| 21. | Clemson | ACC | 1 |
| 22. | Arkansas | SEC | 1 |
| 23. | Stephen F. Austin | SLC | 1 |
| 24. | DePaul | C-USA | 1 |
| 25. | Nebraska | Big 12 | new |