For the first time since the 2006-2007 season, Vanderbilt women’s basketball enters the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed — and this program is…
For the first time since the 2006-2007 season, Vanderbilt women’s basketball enters the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed — and this program is not showing up just to participate. With a 27-4 record, a historic number of wins, and home-court advantage in the first two rounds, the Commodores are built for a deep run.
After roughly two weeks away from the court, Vanderbilt tips off its tournament run against No. 15 seed High Point at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNEWS. The matchup looks favorable on paper, but in March, nothing is guaranteed. What makes this moment feel different for Vanderbilt fans is the weight of what this season has already meant — and the genuine belief that it does not have to end in the early rounds.
Theo Von is here for Pro Day. pic.twitter.com/S9BtYHIgoG
— Alaina Morris (@alainammorris) March 20, 2026
See you Saturday Commodore Nation pic.twitter.com/1oXQA7mQSO
— Vanderbilt Men's Basketball (@VandyMBB) March 19, 2026
Dores supporting Dores ⚓️
Let’s go @VandyMBB! pic.twitter.com/zAFgNy4u1E
— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) March 14, 2026
This is a program rewriting its own record books in real time, and the NCAA Tournament is the stage where it all gets tested.
Before the bracket even tips off, Vanderbilt’s 2024-25 season deserves recognition on its own terms. The Commodores finished the regular season with 27 wins, the most in a single season in program history. They also collected 13 SEC wins, which stands as the most conference victories in a single season the program has ever recorded.
Those are not minor footnotes. The SEC is one of the most competitive conferences in women’s college basketball, and winning 13 games within it requires consistency, depth, and elite coaching. Head coach Shea Ralph has guided this team well beyond what most preseason observers expected when the year began.
The engine driving this team has been two standout players: Mikayla Blakes and Aubrey Galvan. According to Their play has elevated the program to a level it has not reached in nearly two decades.
Vanderbilt enters the tournament with a clear path in the early rounds, and geography is working in their favor. This season marks the first time since 2011-2012 that Vanderbilt is serving as a host site for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Playing in front of a home crowd in high-pressure games is a meaningful advantage that should not be understated.
The historical record backs that up. Vanderbilt is 14-2 all-time in NCAA Tournament games when it serves as the host site. That is a remarkable winning percentage and a genuine reason for optimism heading into the bracket.
Beating a No. 15 seed in the first round is the expectation, not the achievement. The real test for Vanderbilt comes if — and when — the bracket tightens. UConn remains one of the most formidable programs in the history of women’s college basketball, and any road to a national title likely runs through elite competition at that level.
The reasonable counterpoint, though, is that Vanderbilt does not need to solve that problem today. The bracket rewards teams that focus on the next game in front of them, not the potential matchup three rounds away. With home-court energy behind them and a favorable first-round draw, the Commodores have every reason to build momentum before those harder questions need answering.
Programs build cultures through moments like this one. Vanderbilt has championship aspirations this season, and the pieces are reportedly in place to pursue them. But beyond the bracket, what this tournament appearance represents is a shift in how people view Vanderbilt women’s basketball as a program.
Reaching 27 wins. Setting SEC records. Earning a No. 2 seed. Hosting tournament games for the first time in over a decade. Each of those things individually would be notable. Together, they signal something larger — that coach Shea Ralph has built something real in Nashville, and that this is not a one-year spike but a program trending in a sustained direction.
For fans who have followed this program through leaner years, the 2024-25 season has already delivered more than most dared to expect. The tournament is where legacies get written, and Vanderbilt is positioned to write something worth remembering.
The immediate next step is straightforward: get past High Point. The No. 15 seed presents the kind of first-round matchup that a No. 2 seed is expected to handle, but upsets happen every March. Vanderbilt’s focus will need to be sharp from the opening tip.
A win over High Point would advance the Commodores to the Round of 32, where the competition will stiffen considerably. From there, Vanderbilt’s home-site advantage continues through the first two rounds, giving the program a built-in edge as long as they keep winning.
The path to a national championship is long, and Vanderbilt has not claimed one in the sport. But with a historic regular season already in the books and a home crowd ready to push them forward, this is as well-positioned as this program has been in nearly 20 years.
What seed is Vanderbilt in the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament?
Vanderbilt enters as a No. 2 seed, the program’s highest seeding since the 2006-2007 season.
Who does Vanderbilt play in the first round?
The Commodores face No. 15 seed High Point, with tipoff scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on ESPNEWS.
What records did Vanderbilt set this season?
The Commodores set program records with 27 wins in a season and 13 SEC victories in a single season.
Who are Vanderbilt’s key players this season?
Mikayla Blakes and Aubrey Galvan are identified as the two stars leading the team alongside head coach Shea Ralph.
What is Vanderbilt’s record when hosting NCAA Tournament games?
Vanderbilt is 14-2 all-time in tournament games where it serves as the host site.
When was the last time Vanderbilt hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament?
The 2024-25 season marks the first time Vanderbilt has been a host site for the first two rounds since the 2011-2012 season.
Claire Ashworth is a New York-based sports correspondent covering international rugby, college basketball, Paralympic competition, and Formula 1. She builds every story around named analysts, verified data, and on-record sources — finding the human detail and statistical context that goes beyond the scoreline.
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