Vanderbilt WBB Athlete Gets Preseason Honor: The Anchor

One Vanderbilt women’s basketball player is getting an honorable preseason accolade.

Sophomore guard Mikayla Blakes was named to the preseason All-SEC First Team by the 16 SEC coaches. Blakes is looking to pick up where she left off her freshman season, where she averaged 23.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. She led all Division I freshmen in points last season.

Last season, Blakes racked up a few honors. She was named the USBWA Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Year and was named the SEC Newcomer of the Year by USA Today on top of being named as an All-American by six publications. This season, Blakes is hoping that her skillset will be able to lead Vanderbilt back to the NCAA Tournament.

Additionally, the No. 19 Commodores are ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 for the first time since the 2012-2013 season. Vanderbilt was picked to finish 8th in the SEC this year, the highest preseason conference ranking since head coach Shea Ralph took over the program.

Ralph has coached Vanderbilt to two consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament and is now looking for a third. The last two years did result in a first round exit, but it was the first time since the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 seasons that the Commodores made the big dance in consecutive seasons, which shows the progress that Ralph has already made in the program.

Vanderbilt women’s basketball has an exhibition game against Memphis at FedEX Forum on Oct. 27 before beginning its 2025-2026 regular season in Paris, France against California on Nov. 3 at 1:30 p.m. CT.

This Weekend’s Commodores Schedule

Vanderbilt men’s tennis at Crimson Tide Fall Challenge, Oct. 24-26.

Vanderbilt bowling at Destination Orlando, Oct. 24-26.

Vanderbilt volleyball vs. Georgia, Friday at 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.

No. 10 Vanderbilt football vs. No. 15 Missouri, Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.

Vanderbilt volleyball vs. South Carolina, Sunday at 1 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.

Vanderbilt soccer at South Carolina, Sunday at 2 p.m. CT on SEC Network.

Yesterday’s Commodores Results Today

There were no games scheduled yesterday.

Did You Notice?

Two Vanderbilt men’s golf players got recognized with weekly awards this week. Sophomore Ryan Downes was named the SEC Co-golfer of the Week and freshman Jon Ed Steed was named the SEC Co-freshman of the Week.

In the final event of the fall season, Downes posted a 8-under score in the final round, just two strokes shy of his career high of 10-under in one round that he had at the Mason Rudolph Championship at the start of the fall season. Steed shared the Freshman of the Week award with LSU’s Dan Hayes. Steed put up a team-high four eagles during the three rounds at The Bryson Invitational.

Vanderbilt men’s golf will be back in the spring as the Commodores return to play at the Watersound Invitational on Feb. 16.

Countdown to Vanderbilt’s 2025 Basketball Season Opener

10 days

Commodores Quote of The Day

“I don't even know where Vandy is. I'm in Southern Indiana, Big Ten country. I'm like, where is Vandy? No idea. So, I go home to figure this out and talk to my dad. I get on the dial up internet, making all those noises, I'm looking at Vandy, Nashville, I'm like, "Where the hell is Nashville?" And I call my dad and he's like, "Oh, you're going." I don't even know where this place is. He goes, "You're going. Just call them back and tell them you're going."
Jay Cutler