NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Vanderbilt women’s basketball Head Coach Shea Ralph has agreed to extend her contract with the program, Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and Athletic Director Candice Storey Lee announced Wednesday.
“Vanderbilt is built on bringing together the best people and brightest minds, and Shea Ralph exemplifies both,” Lee said. “Five years ago, Shea was the first head coach hired after the launch of Vandy United, signaling our commitment to compete at the highest level across all programs. She has delivered on that vision and 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.”
In her first season with the ‘Dores, Ralph led them back to the postseason and has guided the team to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, ending a 10-year drought.
This season, Ralph led the ‘Dores to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 17 years. The team also set a record with 13 SEC wins, recorded 29 total wins — the third-best in program history — and went undefeated at home.
“Shea Ralph exemplifies our commitment across the university to attract the most talented people who fit our culture and put them in an environment where they can succeed,” Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. “By forging a collaborative culture dedicated to growth on and off the court, Shea has helped our student-athletes realize the full heights of their potential, galvanized our One Vanderbilt community and demonstrated to a national audience what is possible here. I look forward to seeing her lead our program forward.”
This year, Ralph racked up national honors, earning AP, Naismith, USBWA and WBCA Coach of the Year awards.
Ralph said this about her contract extension:
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“I’d like to thank Chancellor Diermeier and Dr. Lee for their unwavering support over the past five years, not just for me but for our coaches, staff and student-athletes. hen I arrived in Nashville, I said it felt like it was only the beginning of something incredible. And as much growth as we’ve had, the best part of being at Vanderbilt is I still feel that way every day. Thanks to people who bought in and wanted to be part of building something to last, our best is still to come. Thanks to their trust, integrity and passion, we have the opportunity to compete for championships. And with an administration and supporters eager to invest in women, I’m excited about the opportunity ahead of us.”
The university said Ralph’s contract extension comes just after Vanderbilt launched Anchor For Her, which aims at making Vandy a “premier destination for women’s sports through wide-ranging investments in people, programs and facilities.”
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