Nationally Known – Vanderbilt Commodores

All-American Mikayla Blakes has earned National Player of the Week honors from three different publications and was selected to the NCAA's Starting 5
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The national honors are rolling in for Vanderbilt women’s basketball All-American Mikayla Blakes, as the sophomore has picked up weekly national honors from four different major media outlets.
Blakes averaged 33.5 points, 6.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game to help the Commodores win back-to-back SEC games to open league play. The Somerset, New Jersey, native’s efforts earned her National Player of the Week selections from the Naismith Trophy, the Associated Press, and the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). Blakes was also named to the NCAA’s Starting 5 for this week.
The sophomore put on a show in front of a nationally-televised audience on ESPN, as Blakes scored 32 points and dished out four assists to help the Dores defeat No. 5/5 LSU, 65-61, at Memorial Gym this past Sunday. The guard took over in the fourth quarter to help Vanderbilt collect the come-from-behind victory over the No. 5-ranked team in the nation.
The All-American scored 15 of her game-high 32 points in the game’s last stanza, shooting 55.6 percent in the frame (5-of-9) with a pair of 3-point field goals over the final 10 minutes. The guard registered 10 of Vanderbilt’s final 13 points to close out the game. She also assisted on the go-ahead 3-pointer from freshman Aubrey Galvan with 2:05 remaining gave the Dores a lead they would never relinquish.
Blakes opened the week by matching her season high in scoring with 35 points at Arkansas in the 2026 SEC opener last Thursday. Blakes also equaled her career-best in assists, as she dished out eight against the Razorbacks.
Additionally, Blakes has been named the SEC Co-Player of the Week and was the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Women’s Basketball Player of the Week.
No. 7/6-ranked Vanderbilt returns to action on Thursday, as the Commodores welcome Missouri to the Music City. Tipoff from Memorial Gymnasium is set for 6:30 p.m. CT, and streams live on SEC Network+.
For more information and exclusive content on the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team, follow @VandyWBB on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Twitter/X.
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