Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball head coach Shea Ralph, along with Mikayla Blakes, Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda and Sacha Washington, made the trip on Tuesday, Oct. 14 to Birmingham, Alabama, to address the media at the SEC Tipoff ‘26. Expectations are high for Ralph’s crew this year as they come off a 22-11(8-8 SEC) record and a first round NCAA appearance in 2024-25. The Commodores are ranked No. 19 in the AP Top 25 Preseason Poll and No. 7 in the SEC WBB Preseason Media Poll.
Arrivals and Departures
The Commodores saw significant roster changes during this offseason. The last-minute departure of Khamil Pierre and season-ending injury to Madison Greene, along with only one starter in Blakes returning this year, left gaps for freshmen and transfers to fill. Ralph spoke highly of freshman Aubrey Galvin, though, implying she’ll make an impact this year.
“What I’ve seen from her since she’s been here with us is her ability to step right in and make an immediate impact,” Ralph said. “I need a high-IQ point guard that understands where the ball needs to go and can play on both ends of the floor. We have high expectations for her, but she also has them for herself.”
Ralph also spoke about Texas transfer Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda’s championship experience. Mwenentanda was a key piece in Texas’ NCAA Final Four run last season — she scored 29 points in the Longhorns’ first two NCAA tournament games.
“She has been where we want to go. She has had that experience and has had critical moments as a player, making sure Texas had success in the NCAA tournament and the final four,” Ralph said. “She will have a leadership role on our team because she has been there. In the locker room, on the court, communication, trust, accountability, she brings all those things with the experience.”
The Return of Sacha Washington
Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball welcomes back Sacha Washington, who missed last season with a blood clot in her right calf. Washington has been with this program for five years — since Ralph first took over as head coach.
“I want to really just finish where I left off,” Washington said. “I know what my role is, just being able to be a leader on and off the court. [I want to] be more vocal and [help] my team out. I know where we struggle, I know where I can fit in and help and doing that to the best of my ability is going to help us out a lot.”
Washington will be a key piece for the Commodores this season due to her size and experience. During the 2023-24 season, she averaged 12.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, and she started every single game of her sophomore and junior seasons.
“It’s no secret we need size. Sacha is going to be a force in the paint that we haven’t had in the last year. She will be able to give us that back this year,” Ralph said. “She’s had a lot of adversity, we’ve had a lot of adversity together, but we’ve enjoyed the process. She puts a smile on everyone’s face, she lights up the room when she walks into it and she’s one of the hardest workers on the floor.”
A new role for Mikayla Blakes
Right after Blakes’ All-American season, she won MVP and a gold medal at the AmeriCup this summer. This year, Blakes is focused on remaining present and developing into a great leader.
“[Coach Ralph] challenges me every day to be a better leader, and the team responds off the energy,” Blakes said. “I think my key focus is just not bringing last year into this year. I think a lot of people base their next year’s success on their past success, and this year, it’s a new team. I have a different role, and I just want to be great for my teammates.”
Ralph added that with the addition of Galvin at the point guard spot, Vanderbilt has the opportunity to play Blakes off the ball — which will open up a new dimension to Vanderbilt’s offense. Ralph also reflected on recruiting Blakes and the qualities she noticed right away.
“When I first went to watch her play, I was blown away by her motor, her competitive fire, the way she allowed herself to be coached, the way she spoke to her teammates, the eye contact, the way she went off the floor and hugged her parents,” Ralph said. “She just represented something to me that you don’t see a lot in great players.”
Vanderbilt infrastructure
Ralph emphasized that the upward trajectory of Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball is supported by Candice Storey Lee, Chancellor Diermeier and the entire administration as a whole. Along with the NIL resources and the brand-new Huber Center, Ralph is excited about the schedule the Commodores will play this year.
“We’re going to Paris to kick off the season. We’re going to the Virgin Islands. We’re going to New York in January to play Michigan,” Ralph said. “The administration understands what it looks like to invest in a championship team that also operates with academic excellence. They’ve given me the opportunity to go out and recruit some of the best student athletes in the country.”
Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball will play an exhibition at Memphis on Oct. 27 for the Hoops for St. Jude Tip Off Classic.
