(This story will be updated.)
Vanderbilt women’s basketball coach Shea Ralph was named the Naismith women’s college coach of the year on April 1. She is the first Commodores coach to be so honored.
“I am honored and grateful to be recognized as the 2026 Werner Ladder Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year,” Ralph said in a news statement. “This award is so much bigger than me. Great players make great coaches, and I am incredibly blessed to get to coach great players on my team.
“My staff is my family, and their belief in me and in our program has helped us to one of the best seasons in school history. I am fortunate that our chancellor, Daniel Diermeier, and our athletic director, Dr. Candice Storey Lee, share my vision for Vanderbilt women’s basketball. This award is for everyone who has helped our program set a new standard for excellence this season.”
When she was announced as the winner, UConn’s staff — including Geno Auriemma, who she beat out for the award — gave her a standing ovation.
Ralph played at UConn from 1996 to 2001, then served as an assistant coach there from 2008 to 2021 before becoming the coach at Vanderbilt.
