The No. 5-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores are arguably having one of their best NCAA season in the program’s history in the 2025-26. And it’s all thanks to Mikayla Blakes. The sophomore guard has been one of the Commodores’ most consistent players, so much so that it has led head coach Shea Ralph to double down on her claim.

Nearly a week after the coach first declared Blakes’ as “the best player in the country” after Vanderbilt’s one-point win over the Kentucky Wildcats, she has reiterated that stance in a recent media appearance, and this time, she left no room for interpretation.

“I talked to (Mikayla Blakes) and our team, and honestly, myself and our staff about what can we control? And what we can control is making sure that that kid is in the spotlight doing things that she can do every single night, that she’s prepared, that she’s confident. Eliminate the noise. Eliminate the negativity. I’m sure everybody has an opinion. There’s lots of really good players in the country. I just know that she’s the best one,” Ralph said.

She further added, “I’ve coached a lot of really good players. I’ve played with a lot of really good players, and that’s no disrespect to any of the other great ones in the country because there’s really, really good ones on really great teams. But this kid is the best player in the country, just based on what she does for our team and where she has taken us to this point period! And I say that respectfully, but I don’t control what the media writes or how they write or how often they write. I don’t control how many people come to watch her, but I’m just telling you the kid is special.”

The head coach isn’t just saying that because she is one of her players, as when it comes to offensive leaders, Mikayla Blakes leads the nation in scoring at 25.9 points per game. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as:

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• She has logged 30-plus points in an NCAA-leading eight games and has crossed the 25-point mark 14 times.
• She ranks first in the SEC in field goals made (225), free throws made (136), and total points (648), while also averaging 3.08 steals per game, which has placed her among the few Division I players ranked inside the top 10 nationally in scoring and top 20 in steals.

And she is doing all that while maintaining a double-digit scoring streak, which is now at 43 games (the third-longest active run in the country).

So while it remains to be seen who ultimately becomes the Naismith National Player of the Year, Blakes is already building a strong résumé, after she became a two-time AP National Player of the Week this season and recently earned Week 14 AP National Player of the Week honors after averaging 30-plus in back-to-back top-20 wins. Moreover, she has also landed on the 2025–26 John R. Wooden Award Women’s Late Midseason Top 20 Watch List for the second straight year.

“She’s a great student, she’s a great kid, she’s a great teammate, on top of the fact that she’s the best player in the country; that’s special, that doesn’t come around very often. Believe me. So it’s exciting. But hopefully, as we continue to take steps forward, more people will come and ask questions and highlight the fact that that is the case for her,” Shea Ralph said.

As March approaches and the National POY conversation intensifies, the Commodores’ head coach isn’t just quietly supporting her star. She’s campaigning loudly, directly, and repeatedly. Because in her mind, there isn’t a debate, as Blakes’ brilliance is driving one of the most impressive team seasons in program history.

How Vanderbilt Has Emerged as a National Contender This Season Behind Mikayla Blakes

While Blakes’ effect on this team has been undeniable, the Commodores’ surge this season has been built on far more than one star.

The ongoing season has turned into a statement year for coach Shea Ralph as Vanderbilt opened the season with a program-record 19-game winning streak. That is marked as the best start in school history, which pushed them into the AP Top 5 for the first time since the mid-2000s. As they sit at 23–2 overall and 9–2 in SEC play, this is no longer a feel-good story, but a dangerous team that has shown all signs of being the national contenders.

With wins over the LSU Tigers, the Michigan Wolverines, and the Oklahoma Sooners, the Commodores has consistently shown just how explosive they can be when everything clicks.

The only two losses they have faced so far came against the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Ole Miss Rebels. But they have done nothing but learn from their mistakes as the Commodores quickly jumped back with 3 consecutive wins.

For their next game, Mikayla Blakes & Co. are gearing up to go against another highly ranked team, when they will face off against the No. 4 Texas Longhorns on February 12th. So with just 5 more games left before the regular season is finished, fans will be keeping their eyes on Blakes’ to witness if she can take the Naismith honors home this season.

But with stars like UConn’s Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, along with Texas standout Madison Booker, also commanding national attention, this race will be one of the most competitive in recent memory.