Something is brewing on West End. You can feel it in the air when you walk inside Memorial Gymnasium each week.  

There’s another championship-contending team on campus, this one led by head coach Shea Ralph. The fifth-year coach is building something at Vanderbilt. It’s undeniable. 

The Commodores went to the NCAA Tournament the past two years, and while they bowed out in the first round in both instances, it feels like Vanderbilt is close to breaking through as one of the premier women’s basketball programs in the country. That process continues this year, and Vanderbilt has jumped out to a 4-0 start to prove that the offseason hype was no joke. 

The Commodores’ season began in a spectacular destination: the City of Love. They took down Cal, 74-65, to earn a signature win over a Power Four opponent, but things just started from there. Vanderbilt beat Furman 96-48 in a blowout victory before tackling Austin Peay 75-65 on the road later that week. Another 30-plus point victory over Western Kentucky has left this team unfazed and unbeaten. 

Ralph’s squad is once again led by preseason All-American Mikayla Blakes, but a strong supporting cast has the Commodores rolling through November. New additions, such as freshman Aubrey Galvan and transfer Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda, are seemingly stepping up in big ways, giving Vanderbilt the depth and skill needed to make yet another run into March for the third-straight year. 

It has been a statement beginning for these 2025-26 Commodores, and there’s limitless potential for this team. All there’s left to do is to keep putting the pieces together and racking up wins. 

A lethal backcourt 

Every Jordan needs his Pippen.  

While I can’t go as far to say that Blakes and Galvan have risen to that standard, I’ll let this analogy ride as the pair of Vanderbilt guards have been that good this year. This backcourt duo forms one of the toughest in the country, and they are feasting against lesser opponents. 

It’s easy to begin with Blakes because, well, there’s not much else to say. The New Jersey native won National Freshman of the Year after the 2024-25 season, averaging 23.3 points per game to earn the highest scoring average among all NCAA Division I freshmen. Her 55 points at Auburn this past February set an NCAA single-game record for most points scored by a freshman, and she also dropped 53 against Florida just four games before. 

It’s hard to top a year like that, but Blakes is on her way to another incredible season in 2025-26. The sophomore guard has averaged 24 points through four games, as well as 4.5 rebounds and 2.75 assists.  

Her efficiency has been less than ideal at times, as she shot 26% from deep and 34% from the field through the first three games. An impressive performance against Western Kentucky brought up her percentages, though, as she hit her stride once again. She dropped 28 against the Hilltoppers on a very productive 63% clip from the field. Blakes also didn’t play for a majority of the fourth quarter as the Commodores had already mounted such a large lead. 

I don’t think Blakes has scratched the surface of what she can accomplish this season, so the fact that she’s averaging well over 20 points per game is an impressive start. She certainly deserves to be in the National Player of the Year conversation already.  

Now bring in her counterpart Galvan, the stellar freshman who has already made a big impact for the Commodores. The Illinois native has done an incredible job at facilitating Ralph’s offense, as shown by her average of 5.5 assists per game to rank tied for No. 24 in the nation.  

While slightly undersized, Galvan has made herself known on the floor with stellar passing and crafty scoring. She’s averaging 9.75 points per game — the third highest average on the team. 

“She’s exactly what I thought she was going to be,” Ralph said of Galvan’s recent performance. “I don’t mind a small guard. Aubrey plays with a chip on her shoulder. When you see a player that has confidence like she has, competitiveness and a very high IQ, those are things you can’t coach.” 

The backcourt duo of Blakes and Galvan will only grow from here. Expect them to make big plays in big stretches later this season. 

Welcome back, Washington 

Those that followed Vanderbilt closely last year knew that Sacha Washington was out for the entirety of the 2024-25 season with a blood clot in her leg. It was a massive loss for Ralph and the Commodores, as Washington had been a steady force in the paint for numerous years. It also was a shock in terms of leadership, as the then-senior was known to be an important voice on Ralph’s team.  

Fast forward a year to now, and Washington is fully back in game action. And she hasn’t skipped a beat. Looking at her play, you wouldn’t suspect that she had taken a full year off of competitive basketball. 

Washington’s importance on this year’s roster grew with the departure of fellow forward Khamil Pierre in June. Pierre was a massive loss for Ralph as she was one of the most statistically productive players on Vanderbilt’s roster in the 2024-25 season. With Pierre now at NC State, Washington’s role is even larger, both from a leadership and positional standpoint.  

The graduate student is averaging 10.8 points — second on the team only to Blakes — and 7.0 rebounds per game. She’s also shooting it at an efficient 59% from the field, earning easy buckets around the rim with her muscular frame. She’s simply bullying opposing bigs with her physicality and touch.

She’s split time with fellow forward Aiyana Mitchell so far this season, and the duo has provided the height and physicality down low for Vanderbilt to succeed thus far. There are still concerns about Washington’s size in SEC play, but for now, she’s cruised her way into the starting lineup.  

Fellow true center Aaliyah Del Rosario — who stands at 6’6 — has not gained the full trust of the staff yet it seems, as seen by her very limited minutes this season. It appears Washington is the go-to big for Ralph in crunch time.  

Washington’s return to action is certainly an inspiring story to watch this season, and she’ll perhaps be this team’s biggest difference-maker if she can stay healthy. 

Still sorting the pieces 

Ralph is still finding out which players shine in which roles. That’s part of the early season process to determine the best lineups for SEC play. I wouldn’t read into Ralph’s assortment of somewhat puzzling lineups at times, as she’s just trying to find out what works before playing difficult opponents.  

Blakes and Galvan have certainly proved their worth as Vanderbilt’s star backcourt, but there remain a few question marks around who can fulfill other roles on the team. Justine Pissott appears to have taken a step up in terms of production this year, and when she’s paired with Mwenentanda and Washington, Vanderbilt is phenomenal defensively and on the boards. 

Other players on this roster, such as Aga Makurat, Trinity Wilson and Jada Brown, seem like they’ll be roleplayers this year, although they could see more time if they drastically improve. Ralph’s lineups are very much still fluid, so each of these three could be utilized in various sets to catch opponents off guard. The lack of a true three on the court, especially after the departure of Iyana Moore this offseason, seems to be a challenge for Ralph to find as well.

I mention these varying lineups and subs because the road from here on out gets considerably more difficult. The depth of Ralph’s squad will be tested, as they’ll need to rely upon more scorers to take down formidable opponents. 

Following a two-game homestand against Alabama State and Tennessee State, the Commodores will play three fellow Power Five opponents in the Paradise Jam and SEC/ACC Challenge — Oregon State, BYU or Virginia Tech and Virginia. 

The Blakes show is all well and good, but even she will have the occasional off night. Who steps up in those moments will be telling about how Vanderbilt could do against the toughest teams in the country in conference play. I’m finding it difficult to see a true second or third scorer on this team who is an automatic bucket, so these more challenging games in nonconference are important to sort this team’s talent. 

It’s been an impressive start for Ralph and Co., and only one question remains: can they keep it up? 

The Commodores return to action on Nov. 21 against Alabama State, with tipoff set for 11 a.m. CST.