BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – On Monday, the SEC media projected Mikayla Blakes to retain her SEC Player of the Year crown in 2026-27, while the Vanderbilt women’ s basketball team was picked No. 4 in the SEC Media Preseason Poll.
Blakes, the reigning SEC Player of the Year, is coming off a record-setting sophomore campaign in which she led all of NCAA Division I in scoring (27.0 points per game) and set the SEC single-season scoring record with 918 points. The 2025-26 Anne Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year averaged 30.5 points per game in SEC contests and scored 30 or more points in12 league games a season ago, making her the first SEC player to accomplish the feat this century. Blakes is only the 13th player in league history to win both SEC Player of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year, and she is the first since five-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson to win the awards in consecutive seasons.
In addition to her SEC Preseason Player of the Year selection, the league media also selected the 14-time All-American to its preseason All-SEC first team for the second-straight season. Blakes was joined by Madison Booker of Texas, Joyce Edwards of South Carolina, Clara Strack of Kentucky and Mikaylah Williams of LSU on its 2026-27 preseason All-SEC first team. The SEC media tabbed South Carolina as the preseason favorite.
The Commodores earned their highest preseason projection from the SEC media under head coach Shea Ralph, as Vanderbilt was selected No. 4 in the preseason poll. A season ago, Vandy finished tied for second, winning a school-record 13 games in SEC play.
Additionally, USA TODAY Sports released its 2026-27 SEC preseason prognostications on Monday. The outlet also named Blakes as its SEC Preseason Player of Year and she was unanimously selected to the All-SEC first team, while the Commodores tied for third with LSU in its SEC preseason poll.
The Gamecocks were selected at top the USA TODAY Sports SEC preseason poll. South Carolina's Dawn Staley was preseason SEC Coach of the Year, while Clara Strack was voted the preseason SEC Defensive Player of the Year and LSU's Jada Williams as the preseason SEC Newcomer of the Year.
Vanderbilt went 29-5 during the 2025-26 season, and the Commodores advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2008-09. Vandy returns seven players from last season’s roster, including Blakes and the reigning SEC Freshman of the Year, Aubrey Galvan.
Additionally, the Dores brought in a pair of high-level NCAA Division I transfers in Mia Woolfolk and Vernell Atamah. Ralph also inked the highest-rated freshman class during her time at Vanderbilt. The incoming freshmen Jhai Johnson, Olivia Jones and Sther Ubaka ranked No. 11 by ESPN and No. 16 by 24/7 Sports.
The 2026-27 Vanderbilt women’s basketball season tips off Nov. 2 at 11 a.m. CT, when the Commodores host Lipscomb for Education Day. Fans can click the link here to purchase season tickets.
For more information and exclusive content on the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team, follow @VandyWBB on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter/X.
SEC Media Preseason Poll
1. South Carolina
2. Texas
3. LSU
4. Vanderbilt
5. Kentucky
6. Oklahoma
7. Ole Miss
8. Tennessee
9. Mississippi State
10. Alabama
11. Texas A&M
12. Florida
13. Georgia
14. Missouri
15. Auburn
16. Arkansas
SEC Media Preseason Players of the Year
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
SEC Media Preseason All-SEC First Team
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Madison Booker, Texas
Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
Clara Strack, Kentucky
Mikaylah Williams, LSU
SEC Media Preseason All-SEC Second Team
Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma
Tessa Johnson, South Carolina
MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU
Chloe Kitts, South Carolina
Talaysia Cooper, Ole Miss
USA TODAY Sports SEC Media Preseason Poll
1. South Carolina
2. Texas
T-3. LSU
T-3. Vanderbilt
5. Kentucky
6. Ole Miss
7. Oklahoma
8. Tennessee
9. Mississippi State
10. Florida
11. Texas A&M
12. Alabama
13. Georgia
14. Missouri
15. Auburn
16. Arkansas
USA TODAY Sports Preseason Players of the Year
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
USA TODAY Sports Preseason Coach of the Year
Dawn Staley, South Carolina
USA TODAY Sports Preseason Newcomer of the Year
Jada Williams, LSU
USA TODAY Sports Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Clara Strack, Kentucky
USA TODAY Sports Preseason All-SEC First Team
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt*
Madison Booker, Texas*
Joyce Edwards, South Carolina*
Mikaylah Williams, LSU
Clara Strack, Kentucky
*Unanimous Selection
USA TODAY Sports Preseason All-SEC Second Team
Tessa Johnson, South Carolina
Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma
MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU
Talaysia Cooper, Ole Miss
Chloe Kitts, South Carolina