Shea Ralph, Mikayla Blakes to Train With Team USA: The Anchor

Your daily briefing on what’s going on with Vanderbilt Athletics.

Mar 27, 2026; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores guard Mikayla Blakes (1) calls a play during the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Dickies Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Vanderbilt women’s basketball’s season may be over, but head coach Shea Ralph and her star guard in Mikayla Blakes are making headlines early in the offseason.

Ralph and Blakes will participate in the training camp for Team USA Women’s Basketball this Wednesday through Friday in Phoenix, Arizona. Ralph will be an on-court coach while Blakes while Blakes will be one of 15 players participating in the training camp for Team USA. Blakes is the only collegiate player participating in the training camp.

This is the second time Ralph will be an on-court coach for Team USA. She will join head coach Kara Lawson’s coaching staff during the training camp. Also on the staff is Niele Ivey, Nate Tibbetts, Stephanie White and Natalie Nakase.

The coach-player duo of Ralph and Blakes was potent during the entirety of the 2025-2026 Vanderbilt women’s basketball season. The two helped lead the program to a program record 29 wins with a 29-5 record and an appearance in the Sweet 16. It was the first time the Commodores have advanced that far in a season since 2009.

Blakes put up numbers that were well-worthy of consideration for the National Player of the Year. Blakes posted over 27 points per game leading into the postseason while averaging 30 points per game during conference play.

As the two look to take Vanderbilt to greater heights next season, Ralph and Blakes will hope to make their mark in training camp this week.

Countdown to Vanderbilt’s 2026 Football Season Opener

157 days

The Anchor: Wednesday, April 1, 2026

• Vanderbilt men’s basketball center Jalen Washington is participating in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) College All-Star Game. The Game – sponsored by Reese’s – will take place Friday at 2:35 p.m. CT in Indianapolis on the eve of Final Four Saturday. The game will be broadcasted on CBS Sports Network.

• Kenneth Mangrum, an assistant coach on Vanderbilt’s men’s basketball’s staff, has been hired by new Georgia Tech men’s basketball head coach Scott Cross to be the Yellowjackets’ assistant coach, per college basketball insider Jon Rothstein.

• Former Vanderbilt football quarterback commit Luke Babin has committed to play at Baylor, he announced on Twitter/X on Tuesday. The class of 2027 recruit decommitted from Vanderbilt in the days following five-star quarterback recruit Jared Curtis flipping his commitment from Georgia to Vanderbilt.

Tuesday’s Commodores Results

Vanderbilt baseball beat/lost to Belmont score.

Wednesday’s Commodores Schedule

Vanderbilt volleyball vs. Belmont (Exhibition), 7 p.m. CT.

Commodores Quote of The Day

“Here at Vanderbilt, we have some scars, but we also have stars!”

Dan McGugin

We’ll Leave You With This…

Bryan Longwell may have the best cleats of anyone on Vanderbilt’s roster. pic.twitter.com/GUMqmyMY6t

— Joey Dwyer (@joey_dwy) March 31, 2026

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