Sophomores Mikayla Blakes from Vanderbilt and Liv McGill from Florida have etched their names in the NCAA’s history books. Together, they became the first pair of active sophomores to reach 1,000 career points, a feat that overshadows other star players such as Sarah Strong, Joyce Edwards and Toby Fournier.
Blakes now has 1,192 career points, reaching the 1,000 career points mark in just 42 games, the fastest in Vanderbilt program history and the 43rd Vanderbilt player to achieve this feat. On the other hand, McGill reached 1,000 points in 54 games, becoming the second Florida Gator to do so as a sophomore. She also became the 28th player in program history to achieve this feat.
While Sarah Strong and Joyce Edwards have been dominant forces for arguably the two best teams in the country, their scoring totals have been tempered by the depth of their roster. Edwards, currently averaging a double-double pace for the Gamecocks, sits shy of just 870 career points to reach the elusive 1,000-point mark.
As for Strong, her balanced playmaking role has kept her slightly behind the pure scoring output of her SEC counterparts. Blakes and McGill, by contrast, have shouldered massive usage rates from day one, allowing them to outpace their peers quite smoothly.
Historically, Blake’s 42-game journey to reach 1,000 points places her as one of the outstanding players in the NCAA, landing just outside the all-time fastest records set by modern legends. For context, she reached the milestone faster than nearly anyone in the last decade, trailing only USC’s JuJu Watkins (38 games in 2024), Caitlin Clark (40 games), and Kelsey Mitchell (41 games). She has now joined the elite ‘sophomore club’ alongside McGill and has proven how the 2024 class is all about potential and delivering historic production.
Mikayla Blakes Has Been Named to Wooden Award Midseason Watch List
Sophomore Mikayla Blakes has been named to the 2025-26 John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 watch list, officially putting her in contention for National Player of the Year. The selection highlights Blake as one of the country’s elite talents following a historic campaign where she was named the USBWA National Freshman of the Year. As one of the 25 players to make this cut, Blakes is now vying for a spot on the coveted Wooden Award All-American team.
Blakes is currently tearing through competition, leading the SEC in scoring with 25.2 points per game and eighth nationally in steals. She stands as one of only two Division I players to rank inside the top 10 for both categories. Her recent dominance earned her National Player of the Week honors from both the Naismith Trophy and Associated Press, following an explosive week averaging 33.5 points and 6.0 assists in SEC conference play.
Read More:
Dawn Staley Boldly Doubles Down on “Be Better” Message to South Carolina Star Madina Okot
“Audi Crooks = Nikola Jokic”: Iowa State Star’s Abysmal Defense Makes Fans Critical
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in baseball, tennis, college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
