This Week on West End

Looking ahead to what's on deck for the Commodores this week

One of more highly-anticipated weekends of the calendar year is on the horizon as Vanderbilt baseball returns to action Friday beginning a three-game series with visiting Wright State. The Commodores won the 2019 national championship and went 13-5 in 18 games in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic ended their season.

Vandy men’s basketball, meanwhile, is coming off a big road win at Mississippi State and hosts rival Kentucky on Wednesday at Memorial Gymnasium.

Vanderbilt swimming has a challenging week as it heads to the SEC Championships, both Vandy tennis teams begin conference play over the weekend and Commodore bowling – fresh off another tournament win – is scheduled to compete in Arkansas. The Vandy lacrosse team will play its home opener Sunday.

Here’s more of all the other happenings around West End this week:

Baseball

Vanderbilt baseball last took the field March 11 when it defeated Toledo 11-2 at Hawkins Field. Now the Commodores are back.

Tim Corbin’s squad makes its 2021 debut at 4:30 p.m. Friday against Wright State out of the Horizon League. Vanderbilt begins the 2021 season once again ranked among the top 10 in college baseball and will feature the arms of aces Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter.

Wright State went 42-17 in 2019 and 6-9 in 2020.

Men’s basketball

Vanderbilt busted out of a losing streak in a big way Saturday with a 72-51 win at Mississippi State.

Maxwell Evans led the Commodores with 20 points while Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 18 and dished out nine assists. Clevon Brown chipped in 15 points to go along with five steals as the Dores broke a two-game losing streak.

Vandy (6-10, 2-8 SEC) now hosts rival Kentucky (6-13, 5-7 SEC) at 6 p.m. Wednesday before traveling to SEC-leader Alabama (17-5, 12-1 SEC) at noon Saturday.

Lacrosse

Vanderbilt lacrosse will make its home debut at noon Sunday when it welcomes in Colorado.

The Commodores opened the 2021 season with a 19-5 loss at No. 2 Notre Dame over the weekend. Vanderbilt (0-1) trimmed a six-goal halftime deficit down to three in the first five minutes of the second half, but the Irish (1-0) pulled away with 12 of the game’s final 13 goals.

Colorado starts its season at Louisville on Thursday before heading south to West End.

Swimming

Vanderbilt swimming will take its best efforts to Athens, Georgia, for the 2021 SEC Championships.

The Commodores have had just one meet this winter season and only four overall. Head coach Jeremy Organ and his team will look to put their best performances forward at the Gabrielsen Natatorium against the rest of the SEC.

This week’s action in Georgia is scheduled to start Wednesday and run through Saturday.

Women’s golf

Vanderbilt hit the course Monday for its 2021 debut at the FAU Paradise Invitational.

The Commodores are competing in the two-day, 54-hole event and have Auston Kim back in the lineup after the junior opted out of the fall campaign.

Vandy will go up against 12 other teams at the Boca Lago Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida.

Women’s tennis

The Vanderbilt women’s tennis team continued its torrid start to the season with wins over Louisville and Georgia Tech, respectively, over the weekend. Head coach Aleke Tsoubanos now has an 8-0 team before the start of league play.

Marcella Cruz, Holly Staff and Anessa Lee have all racked up 11 wins each in singles play while the tandem of Lee and Christina Rosca are 5-0 in doubles matches.

No. 15-ranked Vandy (8-0) opens SEC competition at 2 p.m. Thursday when it hosts LSU and then welcomes Texas A&M at noon Saturday.

Bowling

Vandy bowling claimed its 39th team tournament title since 2006 with a win at the Bulldog Classic in Dallas, Texas, over the weekend.

Mabel Cummins won the Most Valuable Player award in the event while earning her fourth all-tournament team honors in four tries this season. The sophomore averaged 224.

The Commodores are scheduled to participate this weekend in the Mid-Winter Invitational in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Men’s tennis

Vanderbilt will be looking to rebound from its first defeat of the young season when it begins SEC play this week.

The Commodores (4-1) dropped a 4-0 decision to Memphis on Sunday.

Head coach Ian Duvenhage takes his team to LSU for a Friday match before it returns home to host Texas A&M at noon Sunday.

Women’s golf

After a week hiatus, Vanderbilt women’s golf hits the links starting Sunday in Gainesville, Florida, at the Lady Gators Invitational.

Vandy opened 2021 with a third-place finish at the FAU Paradise Invitational where sophomore Celina Sattlekau finished tied for third at 3-under for the tournament.

The Lady Gators Invitational is scheduled to run through Tuesday in Gainesville, Florida.