Mikayla Blakes was named SEC preseason player of the year entering the 2026-27 women's basketball season.
The Vanderbilt junior guard was named 2025-26 SEC Player of the Year by USA TODAY. She was also named 2024-25 USA TODAY SEC Newcomer of the Year.
Blakes represented Vanderbilt at SEC media day on Tuesday at Hotel Wildemont in Birmingham, Alabama. She discussed what is the biggest improvement she has faced from her freshman season to the 2026-27 campaign.
"I just think I’ve slowed down a little bit," Blakes said. "I feel like freshman year coming into basketball, it was just a blur. You’re like, ‘I can’t believe that I am even here,’ and now, you're like, ‘okay, I’m here.’ How can I continue to get better?
"As teams change, your role changes
as well, so just being able to continue to play with great players has also been another thing."
Blakes set the NCAA freshman single-game scoring record, and also a SEC single-game scoring record, with 55 points at Auburn on Feb. 16, 2025. She also set a NCAA sophomore season scoring record with 918 points during the 2025-26 campaign.
Blakes' season high for made three-point attempts in a game as a sophomore was six at Tennessee on March 1.
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This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Mikayla Blakes named SEC preseason basketball player of the year
