Vanderbilt's Shea Ralph Wins 2026 Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year Award

Shea Ralph's incredible rebuilding effort at Vanderbilt has paid off, as she was named the 2026 Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year winner on Wednesday.

Ralph beat out fellow finalists Geno Auriemma (Connecticut), Cori Close (UCLA), and Vic Schaefer (Texas). She is the first men's or women's coach from Vanderbilt to be bestowed the honor.

Having just wrapped up her fifth season, Ralph has built the Commodores back up to a powerhouse program. Their 29 wins in 2025-26 were the third-most in a single season in school history.

They spent seven weeks this season ranked in the top five of the AP Top 25 poll. It was the first time they accomplished that since the 2001-02 season. They were a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since the 2008-09 season.

Ralph was hired in April 2021 after 18 seasons as an assistant, including 13 straight on Auriemma's staff at UConn from 2008 to '21.

Vanderbilt was coming off a streak of seven consecutive seasons without a tournament appearance when Ralph was hired.

After a 28-38 record through her first two seasons, Ralph has led the program to three consecutive years with at least 22 wins and three NCAA tournament appearances.

This season was the breakout year for Ralph, having put Vanderbilt back on the map as a premier program in the country. Her efforts have been rewarded with the Naismith award as the nation's best coach.