AP Poll - December 20, 1981
Poll 5 of 18 of the 1981-1982 season; Louisiana Tech is No. 1 (unchanged).
| Rank | School | Conference | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Louisiana Tech | Independent | - |
| 2. | South Carolina | Independent | 1 |
| 3. | Old Dominion | Independent | 1 |
| 4. | USC | WCAA | - |
| 5. | Long Beach State | WCAA | - |
| 6. | Rutgers | AIAW Region 1B | - |
| 7. | NC State | ACC | 1 |
| 8. | Cheyney | Independent | 1 |
| 9. | Kansas | Independent | 1 |
| 10. | Georgia | SEC | 1 |
| 11. | Oregon | NWBL | 2 |
| 12. | Stephen F. Austin | Independent | - |
| 13. | Maryland | ACC | 4 |
| 14. | Illinois | Big 10 | 1 |
| 15. | Colorado | AIAW Region 7 | 3 |
| 16. | Kentucky | SEC | - |
| 17. | Arizona State | WCAA | 3 |
| 18. | Tennessee | SEC | 4 |
| 19. | Penn State | Independent | new |
| 20. | Ohio State | Big 10 | new |
| 20. | Villanova | AIAW Region 1B | new |