SEC Player of the YEAR Race: Why Mikayla Blakes Is the Favorite | Unrivaled Playoffs Stage is Set

Vanderbilt star Mikayla Blakes is ready to claim the SEC throne 👑

On today’s episode of Locked On Women’s Basketball, Kalia Butler (Chicago Sky sideline reporter) is joined by Sophia Jones (Golden State Valkyries radio analyst) to break down why Blakes isn’t just preseason First-Team All-SEC — she’s our pick to win SEC Player of the Year.

We dive into the 2025–26 SEC Preseason Media Poll, where Vanderbilt was picked 7th — but could Blakes elevate them even higher? And how does she stack up against preseason POY favorite Madison Booker from Texas?

Plus:

Full breakdown of the SEC Preseason All-SEC First & Second Teams

Freshman of the Year outlook 👀

Postseason speculation across the conference

Then in Segment 2:
🏆 The Unrivaled playoffs are set!
We discuss the single-elimination format, the move to Barclays Center, the $600,000 championship prize pool, and what this means for players and parity moving forward.

And in Segment 3:
🌍 The Minnesota Lynx are making history.
They’ll face Nigeria’s women’s national team (D’Tigress) in a groundbreaking preseason matchup — the first time a WNBA team has played an African national team. We break down why this could be one of the most competitive international exhibitions we’ve seen.

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