Shea Ralph and the Vanderbilt women’s basketball program received tough news on Friday afternoon as sophomore Iyana Moore announced that she tore her ACL via Instagram.
“God has a path for all of us, and sometimes that path is hard for us to understand,” Moore wrote. “I know that His plan for me is for the greater good, no matter what comes my way. Unfortunately, our medical team at Vanderbilt confirmed that I tore the ACL in my left knee. I don’t know why this happened, but I know that I will be back.”
The Murfreesboro native figured to be one of the Commodores’ key contributors this season, coming off a stellar freshman campaign. Moore earned all-freshman SEC team honors for the 2021-22 season, averaging 12.7 points per game in her first year on West End and tallying 20+ points four times over the course of the season.
“I had so many goals I was planning to achieve with our team this season,” she said on Instagram. “Those will be on hold for a little while, and I know that patience is a virtue. It may take me a little longer to accomplish what I know I can accomplish with this program, but I have always persevered through life’s adversities and this will be no different. I have a great support system that will help lift me up and guide me through this and I will be there cheering for my sisters all season long, every step of the way. The only way to go is forward.”
For Ralph, this news comes off the back of the announcement that senior Jordyn Cambridge will miss the season with a ruptured Achilles.
The second year head-coach will perhaps need to rely on her new freshmen and transfer class earlier than expected. Luckily, Ralph impressed on the recruiting trail this offseason, reeling in commitments from two top-100 recruits—Ryanne Allen and Amauri Williams—and nabbing two quality transfers in Ciaja Harbison from Saint Louis and Marnelle Garraud from Boston College. The team is just over a month away from their opener on the road against Western Kentucky on November 7.
