# Vanderbilt Commodores women's basketball

The Vanderbilt Commodores women's basketball team represents Vanderbilt University in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Commodores have never won the regular season SEC championship, although they have won six SEC tournament titles (1993, 1995, 2002, 2004, 2007 and 2009); the SEC has awarded its official championship based solely on regular-season record since the 1985–86 season. The team is coached by Shea Ralph, entering her third season.

## Memorial Gymnasium

The Commodores play their home games in Memorial Gymnasium. Memorial Gymnasium was built in the early 1950s. It was dedicated as the campus memorial to students and alumni killed in World War II; a plaque commemorating those who died is displayed in the Gym's North lobby.
At the time of the Gym's construction, there was a serious discussion within the Vanderbilt community about whether the school should de-emphasize intercollegiate athletics and refocus on its academic program. As a compromise between those who advocated increased athletics competition and those who argued in favor of de-emphasis, the Gymnasium was built to hold only about 9,000 seats, and it would be readily adaptable to other uses—significantly, as a possible concert hall.
Consequently, the gymnasium floor was built up above its surroundings, more in the nature of a stage. The areas out of bounds along the sidelines were very wide, in contrast with the small facility which it replaced, where the walls were right along the sidelines and players could scrape their shoulders bringing the ball up the court. This necessitated the placement of the benches at the end of the court, which was not highly unusual at the time.
Memorial Gym is well known for its unusual design. The end-of-the-floor bench location is now unique in major college basketball, and SEC coaches who travel to Memorial, along with coaches from other schools who have played at Vanderbilt as a post-season venue, have said that the unusual setup gives Vanderbilt a tremendous home court advantage, since no other facility in which opponents play is arranged in such a way.

## Year by year results

Conference tournament winners noted with # Source
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | Coaches' poll | AP poll |
| Joe Pepper (Independent, SEC) (1977–1980) ||||||||
| 1977-78 | Joe Pepper | 15–9 | – | | | | |
| 1978-79 | Joe Pepper | 11–16 | – | | | | |
| 1979-80 | Joe Pepper | 12–14 | – | | | | |
| Joe Pepper: | Joe Pepper: | 38–39 | – | | | | |
| Phil Lee (Independent, SEC) (1980–1991) ||||||||
| 1980-81 | Phil Lee | 12–16 | – | | | | |
| 1981-82 | Phil Lee | 20–14 | – | | AIAW first round | | |
| 1982-83 | Phil Lee | 12–14 | 2–6 | 4th (SEC East) | | | |
| 1983-84 | Phil Lee | 23–9 | 2–6 | T-3rd (SEC East) | NWIT Champions | | |
| 1984-85 | Phil Lee | 14–13 | 2–6 | 5th (SEC East) | | | |
| 1985-86 | Phil Lee | 22–9 | 4–5 | T-6th | NCAA Second Round (Bye) | 25 | 20 |
| 1986-87 | Phil Lee | 23–10 | 4–5 | 6th | NCAA Second Round (Bye) | 21 | 18 |
| 1987-88 | Phil Lee | 18–10 | 4–5 | 7th | | | |
| 1988-89 | Phil Lee | 21–8 | 5–4 | T-4th | NCAA First Round | | |
| 1989-90 | Phil Lee | 23–11 | 5–4 | 5th | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 17 | |
| 1990-91 | Phil Lee | 19–12 | 4–5 | T-5th | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 20 | |
| Phil Lee: | Phil Lee: | 207–126 | 32–46 | | | | |
| Jim Foster (SEC) (1991–2002) ||||||||
| 1991-92 | Jim Foster | 22–9 | 6–5 | T-4th | NCAA Elite Eight | 7 | 13 |
| 1992-93 | Jim Foster | 30–3 | 9–2 | T-2nd# | NCAA Final Four | 4 | 1 |
| 1993-94 | Jim Foster | 25–8 | 9–2 | 2nd | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 13 | 12 |
| 1994-95 | Jim Foster | 28–7 | 8–3 | T-2nd# | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 8 | 6 |
| 1995-96 | Jim Foster | 23–8 | 7–4 | T-3rd | NCAA Elite Eight | 7 | 12 |
| 1996-97 | Jim Foster | 20–11 | 6–6 | 6th | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 17 | 20 |
| 1997-98 | Jim Foster | 20–9 | 9–5 | 4th | NCAA First Round | 25 | 18 |
| 1998-99 | Jim Foster | 13–14 | 6–8 | T-8th | | | |
| 1999-2000 | Jim Foster | 21–13 | 6–8 | T-6th | NCAA Second Round | 25 | |
| 2000-01 | Jim Foster | 24–10 | 8–6 | T-6th | NCAA Elite Eight | 7 | 10 |
| 2001-02 | Jim Foster | 30–7 | 10–4 | T-2nd# | NCAA Elite Eight | 5 | 4 |
| Jim Foster: | Jim Foster: | 256–99 | 84–53 | | | | |
| Melanie Balcomb (SEC) (2002–2016) ||||||||
| 2002-03 | Melanie Balcomb | 22–10 | 9–5 | T-5th | NCAA Second Round | 20 | 14 |
| 2003-04 | Melanie Balcomb | 26–8 | 8–6 | 4th# | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 13 | 13 |
| 2004-05 | Melanie Balcomb | 24–8 | 10–4 | 3rd | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 14 | 18 |
| 2005-06 | Melanie Balcomb | 21–11 | 8–6 | T-5th | NCAA Second Round | 22 | |
| 2006-07 | Melanie Balcomb | 28–6 | 10–4 | T-3rd# | NCAA Second Round | 17 | 7 |
| 2007-08 | Melanie Balcomb | 25–9 | 11–3 | 3rd | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 15 | 21 |
| 2008-09 | Melanie Balcomb | 26–9 | 10–4 | T-2nd# | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 8 | 14 |
| 2009-10 | Melanie Balcomb | 23–11 | 9–7 | T-3rd | NCAA Second Round | 24 | |
| 2010-11 | Melanie Balcomb | 20–12 | 10–6 | T-3rd | NCAA First Round | | |
| 2011-12 | Melanie Balcomb | 23–10 | 9–7 | 7th | NCAA Second Round | | |
| 2012-13 | Melanie Balcomb | 21–12 | 9–7 | 7th | NCAA Second Round | | |
| 2013-14 | Melanie Balcomb | 18–13 | 7–9 | 8th | NCAA First Round | | |
| 2014-15 | Melanie Balcomb | 15–16 | 5–11 | T-11th | | | |
| 2015–16 | Melanie Balcomb | 18–14 | 5–11 | 11th | | | |
| Melanie Balcomb: | Melanie Balcomb: | 310–149 | 120–90 | | | | |
| Stephanie White (SEC) (2016–2021) ||||||||
| 2016–17 | Stephanie White | 14–16 | 4–12 | 13th | | | |
| 2017–18 | Stephanie White | 7–24 | 3–13 | T-12th | | | |
| 2018–19 | Stephanie White | 7–23 | 2–14 | 14th | | | |
| 2019–20 | Stephanie White | 14–16 | 4–12 | 13th | | | |
| 2020–21 | Stephanie White | 4–4 | 0–3 | Season canceled Jan. 2021 | | | |
| Stephanie White: | Stephanie White: | 46–83 | 13–55 | | | | |
| Shea Ralph (SEC) (2021–present) ||||||||
| 2021–22 | Shea Ralph | 16–19 | 4–12 | 13th | WNIT 3rd Round | | |
| 2022–23 | Shea Ralph | 12–19 | 3–13 | 12th | | | |
| 2023–24 | Shea Ralph | 23–10 | 9–7 | 6th | NCAA First Round | | |
| 2024–25 | Shea Ralph | 19–8 | 6–7 | | | | |
| Shea Ralph: | Shea Ralph: | 70–56 | 26–39 | | | | |
| Total: | Total: | 925–551 | | | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||||

## Postseason results
### NCAA Division I

| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1986 | #5 | Second Round | #4 Oklahoma | L 67-86 |
| 1987 | #5 | Second Round | #4 James Madison | L 60-68 |
| 1989 | #7 | First Round | #10 St. Joseph's | L 68-82 |
| 1990 | #6 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #11 Rutgers #3 Iowa #2 Auburn | W 78-75 W 61-56 L 67-89 |
| 1991 | #10 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #7 South Carolina #2 Purdue #3 Auburn | W 73-64 W 69-63 L 45-58 |
| 1992 | #3 | Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #6 Connecticut #2 Miami (FL) #1 Virginia | W 75-47 W 77-67 L 58-70 |
| 1993 | #1 | Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | #9 California #4 Stephen F. Austin #6 Louisiana Tech #2 Texas Tech | W 82-63 W 59-56 W 58-53 L 46-60 |
| 1994 | #2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #15 Grambling State #10 Minnesota #3 North Carolina | W 95-85 W 98-72 L 69-73 |
| 1995 | #1 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #16 Northern Illinois #8 Memphis #4 Purdue | W 90-54 W 95-68 L 66-67 |
| 1996 | #3 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #14 Harvard #6 Wisconsin #2 Iowa #1 Connecticut | W 100-83 W 96-82 W 74-63 L 57-67 |
| 1997 | #6 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #11 Washington #3 Kansas #2 Georgia | W 74-62 W 51-44 L 52-66 |
| 1998 | #6 | First Round | #11 UC Santa Barbara | L 71-76 |
| 2000 | #9 | First Round Second Round | #8 Kansas #1 Louisiana Tech | W 71-69 (2OT) L 65-66 |
| 2001 | #3 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #14 Idaho State #6 Colorado #2 Iowa State #1 Notre Dame | W 83-57 W 65-59 W 84-65 L 64-72 |
| 2002 | #1 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #16 Oakland #9 Arizona State #4 North Carolina #2 Tennessee | W 63-38 W 61-35 W 70-61 L 63-68 |
| 2003 | #4 | First Round Second Round | #13 Liberty #5 Boston College | W 54-44 L 85-86 |
| 2004 | #2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #15 Lipscomb #10 Chattanooga #6 Stanford | W 76-45 W 60-44 L 55-57 |
| 2005 | #5 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #12 Montana #4 Kansas State #1 Michigan State | W 67-44 W 63-60 L 64-76 |
| 2006 | #8 | First Round Second Round | #9 Louisville #1 North Carolina | W 76-64 L 70-89 |
| 2007 | #2 | First Round Second Round | #15 Delaware State #7 Bowling Green | W 62-47 L 59-60 |
| 2008 | #4 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #13 Montana #5 West Virginia #1 Maryland | W 75-62 W 64-46 L 66-80 |
| 2009 | #4 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #13 Western Carolina #5 Kansas State #1 Maryland | W 73-44 W 74-61 L 74-78 |
| 2010 | #6 | First Round Second Round | #11 DePaul #3 Xavier | W 83-76 (OT) L 62-63 |
| 2011 | #10 | First Round | #7 Louisville | L 62-81 |
| 2012 | #7 | First Round Second Round | #10 Middle Tenn #2 Duke | W 60-46 L 80-96 |
| 2013 | #8 | First Round Second Round | #9 St. Joseph's #1 Connecticut | W 60-54 L 44-77 |
| 2014 | #8 | First Round | #9 Arizona State | L 61-69 |
| 2024 | #12 | First Four First Round | #12 Columbia #5 Baylor | W 72-68 L 63-80 |
| 2025 | #7 | First Round | #10 Oregon | TBD |

### AIAW Division I

The Commodores made one appearance in the AIAW National Division I basketball tournament, with a combined record of 0–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1982 | First Round | Delta State | L, 79–90 |

## Other awards and honors

* Jence Ann Rhoads, 2011 First Team All-SEC
* Elan Brown, 2010 All-SEC Rookie Team
* Tiffany Clarke, 2010 All-SEC Rookie Team
* Merideth Marsh, 2010 Second Team All-SEC
* Jence Ann Rhoads, 2010 First Team All-SEC
* Jennifer Risper, 2008-09 Vanderbilt women's Co-Athletes of the Year
* Jennifer Risper, Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), National Defensive Player of the Year (2009)
* Jennifer Risper, SEC All-Tournament Team (2009)
* Jennifer Risper, SEC All-Defensive Team (2008)
* Jennifer Risper, Second-team All-Southeastern Conference honouree (2008)
* Jennifer Risper, All-tournament honors at the 2007 Contra Costa Times in Berkeley, California
* Jennifer Risper, All-tournament selection (2007 Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament.)
* Jennifer Risper, Female Newcomer of the Year honors among all Vanderbilt student-athletes (2006)
* Christina Wirth, Earned All-Tournament honors at the 2006 VU Holiday Classic.
* Christina Wirth, All-tournament honors at the 2007 Contra Costa Times Classic in Berkeley, Calif
* Christina Wirth, Most Valuable Player of the 2007 Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament
* Christina Wirth, Named a first-team All-Southeastern Conference honoree (2008)
* Christina Wirth, Second-team recognition from the Associated Press (2008)
* Christina Wirth, Named preseason All-SEC by league coaches (first team) and writers (second team) (2008)
* Christina Wirth, Named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District IV third team(2008)
* Christine Wirth, All-Senior All-America First Team by the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award committee.
* Christine Wirth, All-SEC Honors
* Christine Wirth, SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player
* Christine Wirth, SEC All-Tournament Team
* Christina Wirth has received honorable mention on the 2009 State Farm Coaches' All-America Team
* Christina Wirth, 2008-09 Vanderbilt women's Co-Athletes of the Year

## Player awards
### SEC Awards

* Player of the Year
    Chantelle Anderson - 2002