PHOENIX (AP) 鈥� Shea Ralph of Vanderbilt was named The Associated Press women’s basketball Coach of the Year on Thursday after turning the Commodores into in the nation.
Ralph led a team that returned to the most successful season in school history. The team went 29-5, with 13 of those wins coming in the regular season against a rugged Southeastern Conference schedule. The Commodores finished tied for second in the conference, which matched the best finish in program history. They earned a 2-seed in and reached the Sweet 16.
鈥淚t’s wild. It鈥檚 hard to wrap my mind around it. This whole year we haven鈥檛 slowed down,鈥� Ralph told the AP. 鈥淚 love basketball, I love the group that I coach.I love they stayed with me. It鈥檚 been hard and it鈥檚 been challenging, but in a good way.鈥�
Ralph received the award with her entire Vanderbilt coaching staff, as well as her mom, husband and daughter in attendance. It was also special for Ralph with her UConn family there as well as they were also there to celebrate AP Sarah Strong.
Ralph received 23 votes from the 31-member national media panel that votes on each week. UCLA鈥檚 Cori Close, who was the AP Coach of the Year last season, was next with four. Ralph鈥檚 mentor at UConn, Geno Auriemma, received two votes while Mark Kellogg of West Virginia and Kara Lawson of Duke each received one.
鈥漈he thing I love the most of where I’m at is the vision never changed,” Ralph said. 鈥淭hat’s really important to me. Do it at a high level at Vanderbilt is really important to me. They’ve shown what that looks like to invest in women. Really invest in women. The resources and money, but also the development and academics.鈥�
Ralph is the first Vanderbilt coach to win the award, which was launched in 1994-95. Her team, which won seven more games than the year before and was ranked as high as No. 5 in the AP poll, was led by
鈥淪he鈥檚 someone you would want to run through a brick wall for,鈥� Blakes said. 鈥淪he has bought so much into us that it鈥檚 only right that we continue to fight in this game for her, and she鈥檚 someone who in tough moments you want to lean on. And that鈥檚 the reason why I came here.鈥�
Vanderbilt started out 20-0 and had seven wins over ranked teams this season.
鈥淚 think truly we never talked about it,鈥� Ralph said of the undefeated start. 鈥淚 chuckled to some of my staff members this is what I鈥檓 used to. I feel comfortable here. Keep kicking their butts in practice and challenging them and keep preparing the same way no matter what our record is.鈥�
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AP Sports Writer Teresa M. Walker contributed to this report.
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