Shea Ralph
Shea Ralph
Weeks after leading her team to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 for the first time in 17 years, Vanderbilt women’s basketball coach Shea Ralph has agreed to a contract extension.
Terms of the deal were not released for Ralph, who was named the national coach of the year by several different outlets, including the Associated Press, Naismith, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.
Ralph was also named the SEC coach of the year.
In her five years at Vanderbilt, Ralph has guided the Commodores to a 102-64 record and three straight trips to the NCAA Tournament. Prior to Ralph taking over in 2021, Vandy had not reached the tournament since 2014.
Ralph’s most successful season was the most recent one, as the Commodores totaled a 29-5 record in 2025-26, including a 13-3 mark in the SEC that set a program record for most conference victories.
Vandy advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since the 2009 season before falling 67-64 to Notre Dame in Ft. Worth, Texas.
“Vanderbilt is built on bringing together the best people and brightest minds, and Shea Ralph exemplifies both,” Vanderbilt athletic director Candice Storey Lee said in a release. “She … is the right leader to keep elevating our women’s basketball program while inspiring our broader community as we set the standard for women’s athletics. Her well-deserved recognition only reinforces what we see every day — she makes teams better, empowers women and brings people together.”
Ralph helped guard Mikayla Blakes earn numerous awards this season, as the sophomore was a consensus All-American and Vandy’s first SEC player of the year in 24 years after averaging 27 points, 4.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game.
Blakes is also a finalist for the Honda and Wooden Awards, which recognize the nation’s best player.
Guard Aubrey Galavan was named SEC freshman of the year after averaging 13.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game.
Former Vanderbilt forward Justine Pissott earlier this month became the first Commodores women’s player to be drafted in 12 years, selected by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA’s second round.
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