NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt women’s basketball junior Mikayla Blakes was named an Associated Press preseason All-American Thursday, becoming the first Commodore in 24 seasons to earn the distinction.
Blakes, a consensus first-team All-American last season, joins Chantelle Anderson as the only Commodores selected as an AP preseason All-American. Anderson earned the honor in 2001-02 and 2002-03.
The Somerset, New Jersey, native was one of five players named to the 2026-27 AP preseason All-America team. She was joined by UConn’s Sarah Strong, Texas’ Madison Booker, Southern California’s JuJu Watkins and Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo.
The reigning SEC Player of the Year had a record-setting sophomore campaign. 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. Her 918 points in 2025-26 also set the NCAA sophomore scoring record.
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.
The junior has also been voted as the 2026-27 SEC Preseason Player of the Year by both the league’s coaches and media, along with USA TODAY.
With Blakes’ selection to the AP preseason All-America team, along with Tyler Tanner’s yesterday, Vanderbilt becomes the first school since Duke in 2014-15 to have both a men’s basketball and women’s basketball player named an AP preseason All-American in the same season.
Earlier this week, Vanderbilt earned a consensus top-10 preseason ranking for the first time since 2001-02. The Dores were No. 8 in The Associated Press Top 25 and No. 9 in the USA TODAY Sports/WBCA Coaches Poll.
The 2026-27 season begins Nov. 2, as the Commodores host Lipscomb at Memorial Gymnasium for Education Day. Tipoff against the Bisons is set for 11 a.m. CT and streams on SEC Network+.
Fans can click the link here to purchase season tickets. Single-game tickets and 4-pack ticket specials are also on sale.
For more information and exclusive content on the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team, follow @VandyWBB on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter/X.
AP Preseason All-America Honors (31 voters)
| Player | Team | Votes |
| Sarah Strong | UConn | 30 |
| Madison Booker | Texas | 28 |
| Hannah Hidalgo | Notre Dame | 28 |
| Mikayla Blakes | Vanderbilt | 27 |
| JuJu Watkins | Southern California | 26 |