There was only one SEC women’s basketball player to earn unanimous selections by USA TODAY Sports Network voters: Mikayla Blakes.
The Vanderbilt guard was voted the unanimous SEC Player of the Year, and was the only only unanimous All-SEC first team selection in the USA TODAY Sports Network’s All-SEC awards. Blakes became the first SEC player this century to average 30 points in conference play after an incredible run over the last eight games of the regular season.
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The sophomore averaged 27.1 points on the season – which jumped to 30.5 points in SEC games – along with 3.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.9 steals while shooting 46.6% from the field and 36.1% from 3-point range. Blakes was the USA TODAY SEC Newcomer of the Year last season.
Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph won SEC Coach of the Year after leading the Commodores to a second-place finish in the SEC. Vanderbilt’s 27 regular-season wins set the record for most in program history. South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, who led the Gamecocks to a fifth-straight SEC regular-season title, received three votes.
South Carolina point guard Raven Johnson won SEC Defensive Player of the Year, beating Kentucky center Clara Strack by two votes.
Johnson held SEC top-10 scorers to a 25% field goal percentage as a primary defender compared to a 42.5% field goal percentage when other Gamecocks guarded them, according to South Carolina. The Gamecocks’ defense held opponents to 38.4% field goal percentage with Johnson on the court compared to 42.4% when she was off it.
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Ole Miss forward Cotie McMahon won Newcomer of the Year after leading the Rebels in scoring with a career-high 19.8 points and 2.9 assists, along with 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 45.2% from the field. Oklahoma freshman Aaliyah Chavez received three votes.
South Carolina and Oklahoma were the only teams with multiple All-SEC selections. The Gamecocks led the pack with three selections and the Sooners had two. McMahon, South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards, Texas forward Madison Booker and Oklahoma center Raegan Beers joined Blakes on first team.
The All-SEC second team is made up of Strack, Florida guard Liv McGill, Johnson, Chavez and a three-way tie between Georgia guard Dani Carnegie, South Carolina guard Ta’Niya Latson and LSU guard Mikaylah Williams.
Here are the selections from the 13 participating writers who cover SEC women’s basketball team for the USA TODAY Sports Network:
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First team
G Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt*
F Madison Booker, Texas
F Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
F Cotie McMahon, Ole Miss
C Raegan Beers, Oklahoma
*unanimous selection
Second team
C Clara Strack, Kentucky
G Liv McGill, Florida
G Raven Johnson, South Carolina
G Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma
G Dani Carnegie, Georgia+
G Ta’Niya Latson, South Carolina+
G Mikaylah Williams, LSU+
+tie
Coach of the Year
Shea Ralph, Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph and guard Aubrey Galvan (3) celebrate defeating Texas at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
Player of the Year
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Newcomer of the Year
Cotie McMahon, Ole Miss
Defensive Player of the Year
Raven Johnson, South Carolina
Poll participants: Lulu Kesin, Greenville News; Aria Gerson, Tennessean; Sam Hutchens, Clarion-Ledger; Cory Diaz, Daily Advertiser; Sara Tidwell, Athens Banner-Herald; Sam Sklar, Clarion Ledger; Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel; Colton Sulley, The Oklahoman; Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun; Tia Reid, Clarion Ledger; Blake Toppmeyer, USA TODAY; Meghan Hall, USA TODAY; Mitchell Northam, USA TODAY.
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Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on X @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: USA TODAY Sports Network 2026 All-SEC women’s basketball awards
