NASHVILLE, Tenn. — To honor generations of women whose pioneering spirit and championship legacy exemplify the best of the university, Vanderbilt has launched the Anchored for Her campaign to cement its place as the preeminent destination for women’s college sports—and to ensure that current and future Commodores will write their own history.
Bolstered by generous lead gifts from Vanderbilt Board of Trust members Nina Kohler and Kathleen Justice-Moore, JD’91, Anchored for Her’s initial $50 million goal will fuel investment in sustainable success for a new era of collegiate athletics. Ahead of next year’s 50th anniversary of its varsity women’s sports programs, Vanderbilt is asking the broad university community to help reach the goal and support the excellence already energizing campus, from soccer’s recent Elite Eight run, to volleyball’s return on Wyatt Lawn, to basketball’s galvanizing season and more.
“Anchored for Her invests in the women whose bold spirit will shape the future, just as our women’s sports pioneers helped make Vanderbilt one of one,” said Candice Storey Lee, vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs and athletic director. “Across all of our sports, we see every day that being a Vanderbilt student-athlete is life-changing—not just for the individuals who come to compete for championships and leave prepared for life, but for the businesses, institutions and communities they enrich across a lifetime. As we approach the 50th anniversary of varsity women’s sports at Vanderbilt, we have 50 years of evidence of their importance for Vanderbilt—and for society. I ask our community to come together and deliver those opportunities for generations to come.”
For more than 130 years, since Stella Vaughn first led a Vanderbilt women’s basketball team onto the court, women with a passion for athletics have helped drive the university forward. In the modern era of varsity sports, for the past six years under the direction of a former Vanderbilt student-athlete and the first woman to serve as athletic director, women’s teams and student-athletes have won six national championships and more than 20 conference championships. Alumni have won Olympic gold, WNBA and NWSL titles and competed in bowling, golf and tennis majors and track and field world championships.
“Vanderbilt is committed to creating an environment where all students can unlock their potential and excel,” Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. “Just as we launched Vandy United to support our vision for athletics as an integral part of the great university of the 21st century, the Anchored for Her campaign reflects our steadfast dedication to women’s sports within a robust athletic program that fully embodies our mission and is committed to competing at the highest level.”
Kohler’s lead investment likewise advances the campaign’s focus on long-term excellence, opportunity and competitive success for Vanderbilt women’s athletics.
“From Candice Storey Lee’s inspirational leadership—exemplifying teamwork, resilience and work ethic—to the coaches and student-athletes who demonstrate these qualities daily by competing for championships and creating lasting memories for the Vanderbilt community, we are building leaders of the future on and off the field and court,” said Kohler, entrepreneur and strategy and design leader at the Kohler Company. “The foundation is anchored in excellence. I hope everyone who loves this university will consider getting involved to secure the future.”
Justice-Moore’s gift endowed the Candice Storey Lee Scholarship. The scholarship supports student-athletes who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership and a commitment to service—values that have defined Lee’s impact across Vanderbilt Athletics. Graduate student Sacha Washington, who has started more than 90 games for the Commodores and is one of just 27 student-athletes in women’s basketball team history to score at least 1,200 points, is the scholarship’s first recipient.
Supporters are encouraged to give to Anchored for Her through a variety of pathways designed to create a championship-caliber environment, recruit and retain the best of the best across 11 varsity sports and meet the financial realities of the new revenue-sharing model in college athletics.
- Endowed scholarships, coaching and staff positions that ensure long-term stability
- Facility enhancements through Vandy United to provide championship-caliber spaces for peak performance and multipurpose use, including a pioneering Women’s/Olympic Sports Performance Center
- Capital support and naming opportunities that invite visionary donors to help shape the next era of Vanderbilt Athletics
- Women’s Athletics General Fund and team-specific Excellence Funds, providing for sport-specific needs and the general operating funds required in a sustainable revenue-sharing model
- The Competitive Excellence Fund fuels NIL support in recruiting, retention and leadership infrastructure—a differentiator that allows Vanderbilt to surround the best with the best
Building on a proud history to reach new heights, Vanderbilt’s 11 women’s teams bring together the community, inspire new fans and show the world what is possible here.
- Under Shea Ralph, women’s basketball matched the best start in program history by winning its first 20 games and climbing to its best ranking in 19 years. After winning the Tamika Catchings Award as the nation’s best freshman, among many honors, Mikayla Blakes reached 1,000 career points faster than any player in the SEC’s NCAA history.
“I’m grateful to Chancellor Diermeier, Dr. Candice Storey Lee, Nina Kohler, Kathleen Justice-Moore and everyone involved in this transformative step for Vanderbilt women’s sports,” Ralph said. “Anchored for Her reflects Vanderbilt’s clear vision and relentless commitment to maximizing every person’s full potential as a human being. Without investment in women’s sports, no part of my journey would have been possible. As women leaders, we have a responsibility to continue the work that has gotten us all to this point. I’m proud to be part of a university dedicated to building an even brighter future for the next generation of women.”
- Soccer enjoyed the greatest fall in its trailblazing 40-year history. Under head coach Darren Ambrose, the Commodores won the 2025 SEC Tournament, earned an NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed for the first time and advanced to the program’s first Elite Eight. Sara Wojdelko and Sydney Watts were honored as SEC Goalkeeper and Forward of the Year, respectively, while Watts and Hannah McLaughlin were among 15 semifinalists for the Hermann Trophy as the nation’s best player.
“This is an exciting moment for our soccer program and Vanderbilt’s women’s sports. I can’t think of a better investment than the young women who show us at every opportunity that there is no record they can’t break and no limit they can’t brush aside,” Ambrose said. “This campaign is a reflection and extension of Chancellor Diermeier’s mandate of ‘dare to grow.’ With investment in those who are willing to find out what is really possible, we will elevate ourselves to new heights as a department. Speaking for our team, we aren’t done. We have more to achieve and are still reaching for our ceiling. Nashville has become my family’s home over the past decade, and I’ve seen how strong the bonds are between this community and our teams. I know our supporters will answer this call.”
- After women’s tennis earned the No. 15 national seed in its 28th NCAA Tournament appearance last spring, Célia-Belle Mohr and Sophia Webster made history this past fall as the first Commodores to play for the NCAA doubles title. All of this came under the mentorship of head coach Aleke Tsoubanos, a student-athlete on the first Vanderbilt team to play for a national championship and a member of the Vanderbilt Athletics Hall of Fame.
“As a coach, I’m absolutely thrilled for what Anchored for Her means for our current and future student-athletes,” Tsoubanos said. “And as an alum, I’m deeply proud of my teammates and all the former student-athletes who set the standard by constantly reimagining what is possible at Vanderbilt. I hope we left Vanderbilt better than we found it, just as I know this campaign will ensure that future generations have that same opportunity.”
More Vanderbilt women’s sports superlatives:
- The first Vanderbilt team to win a national championship, and currently the only team with three national titles, bowling advanced to its 19th consecutive NCAA Tournament last spring. Currently ranked near the top of the polls yet again, the Commodores recently placed five bowlers on the Junior Team USA.
- Home of two individual NCAA champions, including 2024 discus champion Veronica Fraley, track and field saw hurdler Allyria McBride earn first-team All-America honors and reach the NCAA finals this past spring.
- Women’s golf qualified for its fourth consecutive NCAA Championships in 2025 and recorded its best finish in a decade, while Ava Merrill became the 11th Commodore to earn All-America honors.
- Returning after a 45-year hiatus, volleyball drew some of the largest crowds in the country, while Jackie Moore earned All-America Honorable Mention and second-team All-SEC honors.
- The first lacrosse program at an SEC school and a trailblazer for the sport in the South, Vanderbilt lacrosse will host its conference tournament for the second time in three years after a strong close to the 2025 season.
- Swimming’s Kailia Utley reached the NCAA Championships for the second year in a row in 2025, joining new Hall of Fame inductee Wendy Deacon as the only Dores to make back-to-back appearances in college swimming’s biggest meet.
- Cross country recorded a top-five finish in NCAA regionals, its best finish in nearly a decade. And this past summer, cross country and track distance runner Lily Kriegel won the 5,000 meters at the USA Track and Field U20 Championships.
Learn more about Anchored for Her and get involved in making Vanderbilt the premier destination for women’s college sports.
About Vandy United
A key initiative in the university’s Dare to Grow campaign, Vandy United has raised more than $370 million. The university is working on major facilities and operational enhancements, including the Frist Athletics Village and ambitious renovations for Hawkins Field and the Lummis Family Tennis Center. Through the Ingram Center for Student-Athlete Success and other efforts, the campaign has funded scholarships and support programs to ensure that Vanderbilt student-athletes are poised for success in every way. To learn more about this historic campaign and make a gift, visit the new Vandy United hub.
About the Dare to Grow Campaign
Dare to Grow is Vanderbilt’s ongoing historic fundraising campaign. After surpassing its initial $3.2 billion goal 20 months ahead of schedule, it continues to fuel our most ambitious vision: to be the great university of the 21st century. Learn more at vu.edu/daretogrow.
