NFL Week 12 Recap

by Barca Blog

Check out how these former Commodores performed in Week 12 of the 2009 NFL season:

Chicago Bears: Lost to Minnesota, 36-10
QB Jay Cutler - Started, 18-23, 147 yds, TD, 2 INTs
OL Chris Williams - Started at right tackle
WR Earl Bennett - Started, 3 rec, 14 yds (long 9)
LB Hunter Hillenmeyer - Started, 9 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, pass defended
DB D.J. Moore - Inactive

Tennessee Titans: Defeated Arizona, 20-17
DT Jovan Haye - Started, 2 tackles

Washington Redskins: Lost to Philadelphia, 27-24
TE Todd Yoder - Played, but no stats recorded

New York Giants: Lost to Denver, 26-6
LB Jonathan Goff - Played, but no stats recorded

Buffalo Bills: Defeated Miami, 31-14
LB Marcus Buggs - Out for season, knee injury in Week 5

Know Your Commodore - Rachael Dillon

How well do Keilly Ulery and Jackie Wu know their tennis teammate Rachael Dillon?

Find out in the latest Know Your Commodore segment below.

Dillon, who hails from Dublin, Ireland, transferred from California following her sophomore season.

November issue of Commodore Nation

By Ryan Schulz

The November issue of Commodore Nation is now available online by clicking below. You can toggle between pages by clicking the arrows or you can zoom into the document by clicking it.

Included among other things in this issue are stories on soccer coach Ronnie Woodard, men's basketball player Andre Walker and football player Chris Marve.

To view more archived issues, here.

WBB Turkey Tournament starts Friday

by Barca Blog - Bring your friends and family to Memorial Gym Friday and Saturday to support the Vanderbilt women's basketball team in their annual Thanksgiving Tournament.

Fans in attendance will have the opportunity to win special giveaways. And the best part... Admission is free! Click for details

Thanksgiving Tournament Schedule - Memorial Gym

Friday, November 27
Game 1 - Vanderbilt vs. Austin Peay - 2 p.m. CT
Game 2 - N.C. State vs. Northwestern State - 4 p.m. CT

Saturday, November 28
Game 3 - Consolation Game - 2 p.m. CT
Game 4 - Championship Game - 4 p.m. CT

Baseball team visits Mt. Fuji

by Barca Blog - After finishing their four-game exhibition schedule in Japan with a 1-1-2 record, the Commodore baseball team spent Thursday touring places like Mt. Fuji (pictured above). Get the full update with photos in Daniel Harris' latest blog - click here.

And make sure you check out Gio's journal entry from Wednesday. The senior catcher gives his observations of Vanderbilt's 2010 squad while detailing what he learned from Japanese baseball.

Video of the Day - Giving Thanks

by Barca Blog - There's so much to be thankful for in this world.

Sometimes you just have to take the time to make yourself remember just how special it is.

As Ferris Bueller once said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

One song that always makes me reflect on the greater things in life is Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World." I get goosebumps every time I hear it.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you out there... and Go 'Dores.



(Bonus Video: Remember when these guys ruled the charts?)

Commodores finish strong in Maui

by Barca Blog - Vanderbilt wrapped up their trip to Hawaii with their best performance of the young season, an impressive 84-72 victory over Arizona on Wednesday to claim fifth place at the Maui Invitational.

Even though the Commodores (4-1) fell to eventual tournament runner-up Cincinnati in the opening round on Monday, the four-game road swing has to be considered a step in the right direction with quality wins over Saint Mary's (in Moraga) and Arizona.

Vanderbilt will get another opportunity to strengthen its resume when Big 12 power Missouri (3-0) comes to town next Wednesday.

"We're really excited," head coach Kevin Stallings said. "We got a great road win at Saint Mary's and this was kind of like a road game here (today) with Arizona outnumbering us in fans. We'll build on this and go home and we've got a great Missouri team coming in to play us next Wednesday. Hopefully, we have a big crowd that's excited to see us play."

Click here for complete postgame reaction.

Video of the Day

by Barca Blog - They still got it.

All the proof you need is in this video of the day.

My favorite Muppet of all-time you might ask? I'd say it's a tie between Animal and Beaker.

Oh, and word is that Jason Segel is working on the next studio movie, which is scheduled to be released in 2012.



And since I'm feeling twice as nice, I'll throw in a bonus clip featuring a classic song from The Muppet Movie (with a cameo by Big Bird).

VU, Arizona to meet in Maui Wednesday

by Barca Blog - The Vanderbilt men's basketball team will square off with Arizona on Wednesday, the final day of the 2009 Maui Invitational.

The Commodores (3-1) used a 24-0 run in the second half to pull away from host Chaminade, 68-41, Tuesday morning. Freshman sharpshooter John Jenkins had career-high 14 points and four rebounds while going 4-of-6 behind the arc in 23 minutes off the bench.

The Wildcats (3-1) advanced by edging Colorado 91-87 in overtime behind senior guard Nic Wise's 30 points. Wise took over in crunch time, scoring 16 of his team's final 19 points.

This will be only the second meeting between Vanderbilt and Arizona. The Commodores defeated the Wildcats, 107-76, on Dec. 29, 1956, in Nashville.

Wednesday's winner will claim fifth place in the tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU with Carter Blackburn and Jimmy Dykes providing the call.

Tuesday's Results
Game 5: Vanderbilt 68, Chaminade 41
Game 6: Arizona 91, Colorado 87 (OT)
Game 7: Cincinnati 69, Maryland 57
Game 8: Gonzaga 74, Wisconsin 61

Wednesday's Schedule
Game 9 for 7th and 8th Place
Colorado vs. Chaminade - 1 p.m. CT (ESPNU)

Game 10 for 3rd and 4th Place
Maryland vs. Wisconsin - 3:30 p.m. CT (ESPN2)

Game 11 for 5th and 6th Place
Vanderbilt vs. Arizona - 6 p.m. CT (ESPNU)

Game 12 for 1st and 2nd Place
Cincinnati vs. Gonzaga - 9 p.m. CT (ESPN)

More updates from Japan - Day 3

by Barca Blog - Vanderbilt Baseball split their doubleheader on Tuesday in Tokyo. Check out these three links to get the latest updates on the Commodores' trip:
Tuesday's Game Recap with Box Score
Andrew Giobbi's Japan Journal
Daniel Harris' Day 3 Blog with Photos

Chaminade stunned college basketball in 1982

By Ryan Schulz - When Vanderbilt plays its second game of the Maui Invitational at 12:30 p.m. CT Tuesday (ESPN2), the Commodores will not just be facing the tournament host in Chaminade University, they will also be playing the team responsible arguably the biggest upset in the history of college basketball.

The date was Dec. 23, 1982 when a little-known NAIA school called Chaminade knocked off a top-ranked Virginia team, 77-72, that was led by its 7’4” All-American center Ralph Sampson.

Although tiny Chaminade, with its enrollment of 900 at the time, had just knocked off the giant, hardly anyone outside of the gym that evening knew about it until a day or two after since when the game went final it was past midnight on the West Coast and after 3 a.m. on the East Coast.

The game is now hailed by many as the biggest upset in the history of college basketball. Virginia was returning from playing games against Houston and Utah in Japan and had beaten Chaminade twice in the previous three seasons by no less than 15 points.

“This year we didn't even bother to prepare specially for them," Chaminade forward Richard Haenisch told Sports Illustrated. “The last two times we put a guy up on a chair in practice to play the role of [Ralph] Sampson. This time we were so down, we just said the heck with it.”

The upset also paved the way for the creation of the Maui Invitational — considered the crown jewel of all early-season tournaments. After Chaminade’s win, Virginia Head Coach Terry Holland made the suggestion to Chaminade Athletic Director Mike Vasconcellos that he might consider hosting a tournament in the future.

He listened, and the Maui Classic, as it was originally called, began in 1984 and is now the longest running early-season tournament in college basketball.

Maui Invitational - Day 1 results/bracket

Monday, November 23
Game 1: Gonzaga 76, Colorado 72
Game 2: Cincinnati 67, Vanderbilt 58
Game 3: Maryland 79, Chaminade 51
Game 4: Wisconsin 65, Arizona 61

Tuesday, November 24
Game 5: Vanderbilt vs. Chaminade - 12:30 p.m. CT (ESPN2)
Game 6: Colorado vs. Arizona - 3 p.m. CT (ESPN2)
Game 7: Cincinnati vs. Maryland- 6 p.m. CT (ESPN)
Game 8: Gonzaga vs. Wisconsin - 8:30 p.m. CT (ESPN)

Wednesday, November 25
Game 9 for 7th and 8th Place
Losers of Game 5 and 6 - 1 p.m. CT (ESPNU)

Game 10 for 3rd and 4th Place
Losers of Game 7 and 8 - 3:30 p.m. CT (ESPN2)

Game 11 for 5th and 6th Place
Winners of Game 5 and 6 - 6 p.m. CT (ESPNU)

Game 12 for 1st and 2nd Place
Winners of Game 7 and 8 - 9 p.m. CT (ESPN)

Note: With Monday's loss to Cincinnati, Vanderbilt can finish no better than 5th Place. For official coverage visit MauiInvitational.com

'Dores to face Chaminade on Day 2 in Maui

by Barca Blog - Vanderbilt's next opponent at the Maui Invitational will be Chaminade, the Division II host of the tournament.

Both teams lost in Monday's opening round: the Commodores were defeated by Cincinnati, 67-58, while the Silverswords fell to Maryland, 79-51.

The game will be televised by ESPN2 at 12:30 p.m. CT Tuesday, which would be 8:30 a.m. local time on the islands.

"We've never had a game this early," head coach Kevin Stallings said. "That will rearrange our schedule because we won't be getting up at 4:30 to eat our pregame meal.

"We've got be be ready. If they say we've got to play at 8:30, then we've got to play at 8:30, and hopefully we'll play better than we did today."

Keep up with the tournament on VUcommodores.com.

Associated Press Photo

NFL Week 11 Recap

by Barca Blog - Check out how these former Commodores performed in Week 11 of the 2009 NFL season:

Chicago Bears: Lost to Philadelphia, 24-20
QB Jay Cutler - Started, 24-43, 171 yds, TD, INT
OL Chris Williams - Started at right tackle
WR Earl Bennett - Started, 5 rec, 57 yds (long 23)
LB Hunter Hillenmeyer - Started, 3 tackles, fumble recovery,
0.5 sacks, QB hit
DB D.J. Moore - Inactive

Tennessee Titans: Defeated Houston, 20-17
DT Jovan Haye - Started, tackle

Washington Redskins: Lost to Dallas, 7-6
TE Todd Yoder - Played, but no stats recorded

New York Giants: Defeated Atlanta, 34-31 (OT)
LB Jonathan Goff - Played, but no stats recorded

Buffalo Bills: Lost to Jacksonville, 18-15
LB Marcus Buggs - Out for season, knee injury in Week 5

Live from Lahaina

By A. Boggs - Here's a live look at the Lahaina Civic Center...right now, Gonzaga is taking on Colorado in the first game of the day. The Commodores are next up on the docket...

The Buffs are handing it to the Zags right now in the early goings of the second half...we'll see if they can hang on.

Commodores enter national rankings

by Barca Blog - Fresh off their 2-0 start, the Vanderbilt men's basketball team has jumped into the national rankings at No. 24 in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls.
Click here to view

The Commodores were last ranked during the 2007-08 season when they held a spot in the Top 25 for 16 consecutive weeks (December 3 to March 17).

Vanderbilt will take on Cincinnati in the Maui Invitational at 4:30 p.m. CT today. You can watch the game on ESPN2 or follow the action on vucommodores.com. Here's the game preview

Japan Day 2 - Recap and Photos

by Barca Blog - Thanks to the baseball operations staff for giving us updates on Day 2 of the Commodores' trip to Japan!
*Game Recap w/ Box Score: Vanderbilt 4, Hosei 4
*Daniel Harris' blog with pictures

Norman named SEC Freshman of Week

by Barca Blog - Congrats to tailback Warren Norman for being named SEC Freshman of the Week for his performance against Tennessee on Saturday. Believe it or not, this is the first time the conference has recognized Norman during his record-breaking rookie season.

A couple of bullet points on the Tennessee game:

• Norman accumulated 152 all-purpose yards at Tennessee, breaking an SEC freshman all-purpose yardage record, in the Commodores 31-16 loss at Tennessee.

• Norman finished the season with 1,941 all-purpose yards, breaking a mark set by Georgia’s Herschel Walker in 1980.

• Against the Vols, Norman had 73 rushing yards on 17 carries and three catches for 18 yards. He also had three kickoff returns for 61 yards.

• Norman also is Vanderbilt’s single-season all-purpose leader and ranks 11th in SEC history.

Read the Official Press Release on VUcommodores.com.

Follow the 'Dores in Japan this week

by SID - Vanderbilt's baseball team will get a unique opportunity to tour part of Japan and Hong Kong and play four exhibition games this week. Keep track of their journey on VUcommodores.com. Click Here

Maui Madness

CLICK TO VIEW PHOTO GALLERY

By A. Boggs - After a five hour plane flight, we landed in Maui at 4:45 p.m. Hawaiian time and headed for the Hyatt in Lahaina, about an hour's drive from the airport. But, we couldn't leave the airport without getting a lei from the Maui Invitational organizers...we all loved them, and most of us wore them the rest of the night.

On to the fun...as soon as we got to the hotel, which is spectacular by the way, the players and staff were invited to the XBox 360 party, hosted by EA Sports, the title sponsor of the event. They had the latest NCAA Basketball game on four screens, and two players from each team competed against each other for the title of best video gamer of the tournament. Darshawn McClellan and Andre Walker were chosen as Vanderbilt's reps for the festivities by their teammates.

And did they ever represent...both swept through their Cincinnati opponents, and then took care of two Maryland players. Darshawn played against a player from Arizona. Andre went against a guy from Gonzaga. Darshawn won his game in a defensive struggle, and Andre lost a hard fought battle that came down to the final buzzer. Dre's last second three wouldn't go down, so Darshawn would take on Gonzaga for the Xbox title.

Darshawn started a little slow against the Zags, but battled back and got his groove going in the second half. He took the lead late in the game, and XBox-Jermaine Beal hit a late three to put the dagger in the Zags. Understandably, our guys went crazy and celebrated with Darshawn on the medal stand.

I took a few pictures of our festivities once we reached Maui...you can see those by clicking here.

So for now, good night from Maui...got a busy day tomorrow with meetings, press conferences, practice, and interviews with ESPN. We all need some rest.

FINAL: Tennessee 31, Vanderbilt 16

By Travis Young -
Live from the Neyland Stadium pressbox

The Commodores fall to Tennessee 31-16 tonight in Neyland Stadium. Vanderbilt gave a good effort in the loss, they just couldn't come up with the big play.

I have posted a couple of quick notes from the loss in Knoxville tonight. Check out vucommodores.com for a post game recap, notes, stats and more.

Individual notes
** Mackenzi Adams, 19-of-35 for 174 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception. The 174 yards marked a season high as did the 19 completions

** Warren Norman finished the game with 152 all-purpose yards (73 rushing, 18 receiving, 61 return yards. Norman finishes the season with a Vanderbilt school record 1,941 all-purpose yards. Norman surpassed Herschel Walker's 29-year old SEC Freshman record for all-purpose yards in the first quarter. Two minutes later Norman broke Corey Harris' single season (1991) all-purpose yard mark of 1,827 yards.

** Ryan Fowler finished the game 3-for-3 on field goals tonight, putting him in a tie with Ricky Anderson for most made field goals in a single season. Anderson made 16-of-19 field goals in 1984.

** Jamie Graham, career-high 10 tackles, 2 pass break ups, 1 interception

** Chris Marve, 11 tackles, 0.5 tackles for a loss

Norman sets SEC Freshman Record

By Travis Young - With 5:34 left in the first quarter, Vanderbilt's Warren Norman returned a kick-off 23 yards to the VU 38-yard line, setting the SEC Freshman Record for All-Purpose Yards. Norman now has 1,825 all-purpose yards, passing Georgia's Herschel Walker's 29-year old mark of 1,805.

Two minutes later, on a third and three situation from the Tennessee 21-yard line, Norman scampered six-yards to get the first down and putting him all alone in the Vanderbilt school record books. With that six-yard run Norman passed Corey Harris' 18-year (1991) single season all-purpose yardage record of 1,827.

Norman now has 1,878 all purpose yards with nine minutes to go in the second quarter. The Stone Mountain, Ga. native, has 88 all-purpose yards (37 rushing, 16 receiving, 36 return) through a quarter and a half tonight.

Pregame notes

By Travis Young - Vanderbilt's Myron Lewis and Patrick Benoist will not play in tonight's game as they are out with injuries. Lewis suffered an injury to his knee on the same play that he made his fourth interception of the season in last week's game against Kentucky. Benoist suffered a concussion in last week's game and is in street clothes on the sideline.

Starting notes:
Offensive tackle Thomas Welch will make the start at left tackle.
Also, Jamie Graham will start at cornerback in place for Lewis and John Stokes will start at linebacker in place of the injured Benoist. Graham's start marks the first for him at cornerback. Graham made two starts at nickelback against LSU and Mississippi State.

Game time temperature: clear skies, 55 degrees

Live from Neyland Stadium

By Travis Young - We're still 90 minutes away from kick-off in Neyland Stadium in Knoxville but I wanted to give an update on what jersey combination the Commodores are wearing this evening. Vanderbilt is sporting their white-on-white jerseys for the first time this season. Fans don't forget to follow the game on vucommodores.com.

Also stay tuned to the blog for up-to-the minute updates from the Neyland Stadium pressbox

Norman closing in on Herschel

by Barca Blog - Let's look at the records freshman tailback Warren Norman has a chance to break in tonight's season finale at Tennessee.

*With 17 yards, Norman can break the SEC freshman mark of 1,805 all-purpose yards set by former Georgia great Herschel Walker in 1980.

*He needs 39 all-purpose yards to break the Commodores' single-season all-purpose yardage record set in 1991 by Corey Harris (1,827 yards).

*He needs 89 rushing yards to break Kwane Doster's Vanderbilt freshman record of 798 yards set in 2002.

Norman already has become the SEC's all-time leading single-season kickoff returner and tied a conference record with three touchdowns on kickoff returns in a season. He also leads the SEC in all-purpose yardage this season with 162.6 yards per game.

Tennessee gameday prep

Vanderbilt (2-9, 0-7 SEC) at Tennessee (5-5, 2-4)

Kickoff: 6 p.m. CT

Location: Neyland Stadium (102,037) in Knoxville

TV: ESPNU (Eric Collins and Brock Huard)

Radio: 104.5 the Zone, XM 199, Sirius 212 (More affiliates)

Web: Live Audio, Live Stats, Twitter

Weather: High 63/Low 46/10% Chance of Rain

Series: UT leads 71-28-5 (UT leads 35-10-1 in Knoxville)

Last Meeting: Tennessee 20, Vanderbilt 10 (2008)

Commodore Gameday Central: Click Here

Other Games in the SEC (CT): Live Scores
Chattanooga at No. 2 Alabama (11:21 a.m. CT / SEC Network)
Mississippi State at Arkansas (11:21 a.m. CT / SEC Network)
FIU at No. 1 Florida (11:30 a.m. CT / Florida PPV)
No. 8 LSU at Ole Miss (2:30 p.m. CT / CBS Sports)
Vanderbilt at Tennessee (6 p.m. CT / ESPNU)
Kentucky at Georgia (6:45 p.m. CT / ESPN2)

Name of the game

by Barca Blog - A win is a win no matter how it's achieved.

Head coach Kevin Stallings pointed out that his team struggled in several areas against Saint Mary's Friday night-- missed free throws down the stretch, rebounding, and interior defense -- but still played hard enough to do something only two other teams have done in the last two years -- win at McKeon Pavilion.

And when March rolls around, the Commodores' 72-70 victory over the Gaels in Moraga can only help their resume for postseason play.

"This is just my opinion," Stallings remarked, "but at the end of the season, this (win) is going to look really good because I believe that St. Mary's, maybe aside from Gonzaga, will be as good or better than anybody in their league. We feel really fortunate to win this game. They’ve got a really nice club.”

St. Mary's Shoot Around

By A. Boggs - Greetings Nashville and Commodore fans from rainy northern California.

After a long trip yesterday, the Commodores have settled in to beautiful Moraga, Calif., for their game against the St. Mary's Gaels at 8:30 Pacific Time Friday.

Currently at shootaround right now, in what could be the smallest gym Vanderbilt has played in in years. Assistant coach Dan Muller threw out Fogleman Arena at Tulane, but having been there myself, I think this place is smaller.

There is no doubt that this will be a tough environment for the Commodores tonight. Word is that the fans are rowdy and loud, and by the looks of the place, they will be right on top of you.

Also throw in the fact that the Gaels are a very good, entertaining basketball team. How about this stat - St. Mary's has attempted 55 3's in their first two games and made 25 of them, a .455 clip from beyond the arc.

Above is a photo of McKeon Pavilion...should be a fun night.

You can listen to the game live on 104.5 the Zone and vucommodores.com, with Dave Lewis, who's sitting in for Joe, and Tim Thompson on the call. The Gaels will also have a pay-per-view webcast of the game, which will be available on SMCGaels.com.

I'll also be checking in with Twitter updates @VandyMBB as the game progresses tonight as well if you're staying up with the 'Dores.

Audio: Stallings' press conference

Click Here to listen to Coach Stallings' press conference on Wednesday, just before the Commodores left for their four-game swing on the west coast.

A jump above the rest

by Barca Blog - Jeffery Taylor has freakish talent. The high-scoring wing seems to spend more time above the rim than he does below it.

"Jeff’s probably the most explosive athlete that I’ve ever coached," head coach Kevin Stallings said. "His ability to come down and go back up before anybody else even realizes that back-ups the move is really kind of uncanny. He’s just a different kind of athlete."

Taylor, who started every game as a freshman, is coming off an outstanding rookie season with 12.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. His efforts were recognized by league coaches when he was selected to the SEC All-Freshman team.

But this could be the year that the super sophomore breaks out onto the national scene, especially if his rim-rattling 20-point and seven rebound performance against Lipscomb on Monday is a precursor of what's to come.

When asked about Taylor's progression from year one to year two, Stallings was candid about his unlimited potential, while recognizing what needs to be done to take that next step.

"Interestingly, he shoots the ball better," Stallings said. "It didn’t show up the other night when he didn’t really make any jump shots to speak of. Jeff’s become a better passer, which is something we’ve encouraged him about, and his shooting has improved.

"The better he does those two things, the more complete his game will become. If he does those two things well, then I think he’ll play for a long time and make a lot of money."

Dores have 'full attention' on Saint Mary's

by Barca Blog - Don't ask head coach Kevin Stallings about the Maui Invitational just yet.

His plan is to keep the Commodores focused on Friday's matchup with Saint Mary's, instead of the tropical paradise that awaits in Hawaii.

"We’ve not discussed Maui yet (with the team)," Stallings said during Wednesday's press conference. "Honestly, it’s not our concern. The only concern is that we have to pack for it because we’re leaving from Saint Mary’s and then going on to Hawaii, I’m pretty sure.

"Saint Mary’s is in midseason form right now based on their first two games and we’re going to have our hands full."

Stallings is right. The Commodores cannot overlook this game in Moraga. Picked to finish third in the WCC, Saint Mary's is 2-0 this season with blowout victories over New Mexico State (100-68) and San Diego State (80-58).

A year ago, the Gaels made the NIT after posting a school record for wins with 28. And in 2008, they made the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in school history. They've also been nearly unbeatable at home, going 15-1 in each of the last two years at McKeon Pavilion (which seats 3,500).

"We have to play a very, very good Saint Mary’s team," Stallings added. "They’ve hit 25 3’s in their first two games. We’re going into a little-bitty gym that gets really loud and rowdy. Maybe in some ways, we’ve got a more difficult challenge on Friday night (compared to Maui).

"Believe me, they've got our full attention."

Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m. CT. Follow the game on VUcommodores.com by clicking here.

Jenkins talks about Commodore debut

By Barca Blog – Freshman guard John Jenkins made his much anticipated Commodore debut on Monday against Lipscomb with seven points, two rebounds and an assist in 16 minutes of action.

The Gallatin, Tenn., native discussed his transition college with local media on Wednesday prior to Vanderbilt’s road trip to California and Hawaii.

On his first game as a Commodore:

“It was very different from high school. I figured that out really quickly between the atmosphere and the speed of the game. I thought it went pretty well.

“I was a little nervous but just being a hometown kid and having the crowd behind me helped me hit my first few shots.”

On his role as a freshman compared to high school:

“I’m not called upon to score as many points as I did in high school. I'm just trying to play the game and do whatever the team needs me to do, I’ll do whether it’s scoring, rebounding, or taking charges. I’ll do all the dirty work. Whatever it takes to win.

“I’ve never been a part of a team that can go 11 deep. Practice is definitely tough and you have to bring it every day. You'll see me out here shooting before practice going hard just to make sure I'm ready for practice. It’s definitely no joke out here.

“I’ve waited for this time for a long time. I’ve put in the hard work and am just happy it’s finally here.”

On going on his first road trip:

“I feel lucky to be going, but I hate flying. I have to get used to that. I'm very blessed to be a part of the Hawaii trip. I didn’t get to go on the Australia trip, so this makes up for it.

“I’ve never flown this far but I’ll be all right. I’m not going to be a baby about it, but I just got to get through it somehow.”

CLICK HERE to listen to the entire press conference

'Dores to test their mettle with wooden bats

By Ryan Schulz - Metal or wood? For many college baseball fans, the question alone strikes a nerve that could lead to hours of debate. The argument for or against the type of bat used in college baseball has raged on for years and will likely continue to for the foreseeable future.

During the regular season, college players use metal bats, but come the summer months, the sound that fills the stadiums in summer leagues across the country is the crack of a wooden bat, not the ping of a metal one.

Next week, Vanderbilt’s baseball team will make the transition to wooden bats when the squad travels to the Far East to play four games against Japanese universities.

Just as Vanderbilt’s basketball team was granted before it traveled to Australia in August, the baseball team was also given 10 additional days of practice by the NCAA to prepare for the trip. During those 10 practices, the team has used wood bats to prepare for what they will face in Japan.

“It is just a different feeling (using a wooden bat),” said sophomore Aaron Westlake, who led the SEC in hitting last season. “The main thing is getting confidence with it. Once you feel confident, you are not worried about breaking a bat or stuff like that.”

Most of Vanderbilt’s players spent their summer using wooden bats and then made the switch back to using metal bats once fall practice began. One of the hardest adjustments the players have had to make during the 10 days of practice is transitioning back to wooden bats after using metal earlier in the fall.

“The biggest thing so far this fall against our pitchers is getting our timing back,” junior Curt Casali said. “The (wooden) bat doesn’t go through the zone as quickly as a metal bat, so that’s probably the biggest thing. Keeping the bat through the zone as long as possible is another tough adjustment that a lot of us with shorter swings have a little bit of a problem with.”

Because the weight distribution in wooden bats differs slightly from metal, players also have a tendency to get under pitches and pop the ball up more often.

“The thing you will see most is the barrel dropping,” Westlake said. “It is a different weight compared to a metal bat. You will see a lot of fly balls or swings and misses under it just because the barrel is dropping.”

Swinging a wooden bat will also bring out weaknesses in a hitter that can otherwise be masked by a metal bat.

“Good wood bat hitters can hit an inside pitch or an outside pitch,” Casali said. “You can definitely exploit a bad wood bat hitter if you throw them an outside pitch and they break the bat. Wood bats definitely bring out the better hitters.”

The team’s Vanderbilt will face in Japan don’t have to make the same transition from metal to wood or vice versa during the year. Instead, the teams are accustomed to wooden bats because they play with them year round.

Vanderbilt’s players have different degrees of experience handling the lumber. Players such as Casali have played with wooden bats every summer for the past five or six years, while some of the younger players have only used wooden bats a handful of times. No matter where they are in experience, Westlake believes the team will be prepared for whatever the challenge ahead.

“It just takes time and experience with (a wooden bat),” Westlake said. “I think over the past couple of weeks we’ve gotten that, so I think we should be ready for Japan.”

Fox 17 feature on baseball's Japan trip

by SID - Our friends at Fox 17 did a package on the baseball team's trip to Japan and Hong Kong. Paul Jones and Donald Phillips came by practice on Wednesday to talk with Coach Corbin and Curt Casali and Sonny Gray. Click here to view the piece.

Lewis to miss Tennessee game

by Barca Blog - Mike Organ is reporting that senior cornerback Myron Lewis will miss Vanderbilt's season finale at Tennessee Saturday due to a torn meniscus in his knee. Click to Read More

Lewis will finish in a tie for 8th place all-time among Commodore defenders with 10 career interceptions.

Interviews with Gray and Giobbi

By Travis Young – With the Vanderbilt baseball team preparing for its trip to Japan this weekend, I caught up with Sonny Gray and Andrew Giobbi and asked them what they are expecting of the trip and how the team will make the adjustment to using wood bats.

In the interview with Sonny, he discusses what he has told the team about playing against the fundamentally and mechanically sound teams from Japan and their style of play. The sophomore righthander got a dose of Japan’s style when he spent the summer playing for the 2009 USA team.

The team will depart from its headquarters, Hawkins Field at 6 a.m., on Saturday.

In case you missed SID’s blog about the trip click here.

Gameday from Carbondale

By Weinman - We're at SIU Arena for shootaround before the first road game of the 2009-10 season. Tonight's game tips off at 7:05 p.m. CT. If you can't make the three-hour drive to Carbondale, make sure you tune into Charlie Mattos on WNSR 560-AM (or on vucommodores.com). And follow our Twitter (twitter.com/vandywbb) for live updates.

Finding a balance

by Barca Blog - One scary thought from last night’s game: Vanderbilt shot 7-of-17 from three-point range against Lipscomb, good for 41 percent... a pretty solid number if you're looking at the stat sheet, or comparing it to last season's 34 percent mark.

However, head coach Kevin Stallings didn't exactly see it that way.

"I know this sounds crazy," Stallings told the press, "but I guess I hope 41 percent was just an average night. We've got two or three guys that are going to make them, and that are going to make them most nights."

Stallings knows that he will get bigger nights from his sharpshooters. But rather than relying on 3's to fight the Bisons' zone defense on Monday, he opted to focus his half court attack on the 'Dores height advantage in the post. That would probably explain why Vanderbilt only attempted five shots from behind the arc and scored 30 more points in the paint in the second half to run away with a 95-73 victory.

Even though it's only one game into the season, it looks like opposing teams might be forced to pick their poison with what could be a very balanced and explosive Commodore offense. Especially if Monday was just an average night from downtown.

Baseball preparing for Japan

by SID - The baseball team started practice again last week in preparation for the Japan/Hong Kong trip that will start this weekend.

For a great story on how the trip came about and the generous gift from Bill Kaye that made it happen, check out ace beat reporter David Boclair's article in the Nashville City Paper that ran on Monday.

The trip will be a unique experience for the team on and off the field. There are four games on the schedule in three days (Nov. 23-25) and the Commodores will experience a different style of baseball than what they are used to playing in the US.

I was fortunate enough to work with Coach Corbin and the 2006 USA Baseball National team and we played the Japanese National team six times that summer including a semifinal win at the World University Championships in Havana, Cuba.

One thing to expect next week from all four teams on the schedule is solid defensive and pitching fundamentals with good mechanics throughout. Since the Commodores face four different teams, they will also face each team's ace so low scoring games will be likely.

Offensively the 2006 Japanese squad relied on speed and timely hitting. While not as focused on power numbers, the team was challenged when facing hard-throwers like future first-rounders David Price and TCU's Jake Arrieta.

That summer we were able to play traveling series in the US with Chinese-Taipei (Taiwan) and Japan and we had the chance to stay at the same hotels as them on the road. Outside of the baseball diamond, it was easy to see that the Japanese seemed to enjoy the experience and were more relaxed than some of the other international teams we faced in the summer. While relaxed, they also showed dedication that was quite unique. On several occasions after games, most of the hitters would get back to the hotel and take their bats outside and take practice swings in the dark in the parking lot.

As Coach Corbin noted before the attention to details was obvious to see and that was due to the differences in practice rules from the US and Japan. While the NCAA has limits on practice time during a week, in Japan there are none.

So I would expect some closely contested contests with solid pitching and good defense from both sides. The games will come down to which side gets the timely hit, yet whatever the results on the field will be, the Vanderbilt players will have an experience they will never forget.

We plan to have daily reports and photos from the trip from senior catcher Andrew Giobbi and baseball operations czar Daniel Harris. Check back later this week as well for interviews with Giobbi and sophomore hurler Sonny Gray. Gray played for the 2009 USA team this summer in Japan and has his own take on what to expect.

Sanderson impressed by Vanderbilt

by Barca Blog - Add Lipscomb head coach Scott Sanderson to the list of believers.

When asked about his impression of the Commodores following Lipscomb's 95-73 loss, Sanderson offered this:

“I think they’re a top 20 team. I said it before we played them and I said it afterwards. They have 11 guys, they have length, they have guys that can shoot it with Beal and Tinsley and Jenkins. They have a huge inside presence and they have Taylor who can drive it.

"They have a little bit of everything and they don’t have to worry about fouls because they are so deep. You can substituted freely over there when you have that many guys and they just execute so well in the half-court.

“I will be shocked if Vanderbilt is not a top 20 team this season.”

Video of the Day

by Barca Blog - Growing up in the 80's, there were certain television shows we never missed as a family. Looking back, it almost seems as if our lives were dictated by the schedule printed in the weekly copy of the TV Guide. We didn't have TiVo or even the internet back then, so if we missed the show, then we were out of luck.

One of those can't miss programs was The Cosby Show. When I think of great TV moments as a kid, the following video ranks near the top of the list. Who could ever forget the Huxtable's classic rendition of "Night Time is the Right Time" in season 2? Just imagine if YouTube was around back then. The clip would have been an instant sensation online.

Audio: Adam Smotherman interview

by Barca Blog - Junior defensive tackle Adam Smotherman talked with local media on Monday about Saturday's season finale at Tennessee.

Smotherman, a product of Smyrna High, is one of 19 Tennesseans on the Commodores' roster. He has a career-high 30 tackles this year, including three tackles for loss.

Click Here to listen to the interview

Video: Brad Tinsley Reel

by Barca Blog - Finishing off our preseason highlight series... sophomore guard Brad Tinsley.

Did you know the sharpshooter from Oregon City tied Shan Foster's school record for three-point field goals made by a freshman with 69?

Watch Tinsley's reel below:

November Student-Athletes of the Month

by Barca Blog - Congratulations to Alex Mundy (Women's Lacrosse) and Joel Caldwell (Football) for being named Vanderbilt's Student-Athletes of the Month for November.

They were chosen on the basis of the all-around student-athlete... effort and excellence in academics, leadership, integrity, dedication to team, campus involvement, community service and the ability to serve as role models for current and future Vanderbilt students and student-athletes.

Click here to read Q&A's with the two honorees.

NFL Week 10 Recap

by Barca Blog - Check out how these former Commodores performed in Week 10 of the 2009 NFL season:

Chicago Bears: Lost to San Francisco, 10-6
QB Jay Cutler - Started, 29-52, 307 yds, 5 INT
OL Chris Williams - Started at right tackle
WR Earl Bennett - Started, 3 rec, 27 yds (long 17)
LB Hunter Hillenmeyer - Started, 8 tackles
DB D.J. Moore - Played but no stats recorded

Tennessee Titans: Defeated Buffalo, 41-17
DT Jovan Haye - Started, three tackles

Washington Redskins: Defeated Denver, 27-17
TE Todd Yoder - 1 rec, 2 yds, TD

New York Giants: Bye Week
LB Jonathan Goff

Buffalo Bills: Lost to Tennessee, 41-17
LB Marcus Buggs - Out for season, knee injury in Week 5

Players of the Game - Kentucky

by Barca Blog - Each week during the season, Vanderbilt's football staff recognizes outstanding player performances on the gridiron. Here's the list of honorees for the Kentucky game:

Offensive Player of the Game
WR John Cole

Defensive Player of the Game
S Sean Richardson

Specialist of the Game
P Brett Upson, K Ryan Fowler

Kentucky Gameday Prep

Kentucky (5-4, 1-4) at Vanderbilt (2-8, 0-6)

Kickoff: 11:21 a.m. CT, Walk-up Tickets Available ($50)

Location: Vanderbilt Stadium (39,773) in Nashville, Tenn.

TV: SEC Network (Neal, Ware and Capuano)

Radio: 104.5 the Zone, XM 201, Sirius 214 (More affiliates)

Web: ESPN360.com, Live Audio, Live Stats, Twitter

Weather: High 71/Low 45/10% Chance of Rain

Series: UK leads 39-38-4 (VU leads 24-18-2 in Nashville)

Last Meeting: Vanderbilt won 31-24 in 2008

Commodore Gameday Central: Click Here

Other Games in the SEC (CT): Live Scoring
Tennessee at Ole Miss (11 a.m. / CBS Sports)
No. 1 Florida at South Carolina (2:30 p.m. / CBS Sports)
No. 2 Alabama at Mississippi State (6 p.m. / ESPN)
Auburn at Georgia (6 p.m. / ESPN2)
Louisiana Tech at No. 8 LSU (6 p.m. CT / ESPNU)
Troy at Arkansas (6:30 p.m. CT / CSS)

Travisodes: Jay-Z tickets

by Barca Blog - With rap superstar Jay-Z coming to perform at Memorial Gym tonight, will intern Travis be able to secure backstage passes to the event? Find out in the latest Travisode (below).

Also, you could win a 2009-10 men's basketball autographed poster by participating in this week's trivia contest. Last season, A.J. Ogilvy became the first sophomore in school history to eclipse the 1,000-point barrier for his career. Where does the junior big man currently rank on Vanderbilt's career points scored list?

Submit your answers on our Facebook Fan Page before midnight on Saturday. Only one winner will be selected.

If you missed previous Travisodes, click here

Video: Football Senior Day

by Barca Blog - It should be an emotional day Saturday when 24 Commodores suit up for their final home game at Dudley Field.

Seniors Thomas Welch, Alex Washington, Steven Stone, Brent Trice and Broderick Stewart reflected on their Commodore careers following Wednesday night's practice in the video interview below.

Don't forget to be in your seats by 11 a.m. CT to recognize Vanderbilt's outstanding senior class. Kickoff is set for 11:20 a.m. Walk-up tickets are still available.

Video: Support VU women's basketball

By Barca Blog - There are plenty of entertainment options in Nashville... but season tickets to Vanderbilt women's basketball have to be the best bargain in town.

You can reserve seats to 16 regular season homes games for as little as $32 per season ticket. That comes out to only $2 per game to see the defending SEC Tournament champions in action at historic Memorial Gym.

It's simple... Just click here to purchase tickets.

If you need any more reasons to support this year's squad, then watch the video below.

The Commodores will open the regular season by hosting Lehigh Sunday at 2 p.m. CT.

Video: MBB fans excited about season

by Barca Blog - There was definitely a buzz around Memorial Gym on Tuesday as the Commodores kicked off the year with a 91-56 exhibition win over Alabama-Huntsville.

Christina Lipscombe caught up with fans prior to tip-off to find out just how excited they were about the new season.

Watch the video below:

Tori Jarosz completes 2010 class

By Weinman - The signing of Tori Jarosz has completed the Vanderbilt women's basketball incoming class of 2010. A 6-3 post player from Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Jarosz becomes the fourth prep standout to sign a National Letter of Intent to play for Head Coach Melanie Balcomb's Commodores. The complete release of the four signees will be available on vucommodores.com shortly.

Men's Basketball signing class is official

Click here to find out more about the newest group of Commodores

Audio: Patrick Benoist interview

by Barca Blog - Senior linebacker Patrick Benoist spent a couple of minutes with the media on Monday to talk about the Kentucky matchup and also reflect on his four seasons on West End.

Benoist, a co-captain, has been a model example of how to do things the right way, both on and off the field. He's currently sixth in the conference with 80 tackles and leads the 'Dores with a pair of fumble recoveries after earning second team All-SEC honors in 2008. Also, he was selected earlier this week as a District IV All-American for his work in the classroom, making it the second consecutive year he's received that accolade.

The Southlake, Texas, native will be one of 24 Commodores playing in their final home game Saturday. Fans are encouraged to show their support for the senior class by arriving to the stadium by 11 a.m. CT for senior day activities.

Click here to listen to the press conference.

Less than 500 season tickets remain for 2009-10 Vanderbilt men’s basketball

By A. Boggs - The Vanderbilt men’s basketball season begins on Monday night against Lipscomb, and time is running out to acquire season tickets to catch the Commodores in action this season.

Less than 500 season tickets remain for the 2009-10 campaign and are available at all price points. Season tickets begin at $104 for 16 Vanderbilt home games at Memorial Gym.

Head coach Kevin Stallings returns all five starters and 14 letterwinners from a year ago, and Memorial Gym will once again be in for a special season with a great non-conference schedule and the always-tough SEC slate. Just like in the last two years, this year's season ticket will be a hot item, with a sell-out of Memorial Gymnasium season tickets all but certain for the 2009-10 season.

To order tickets, call 615-322-GOLD or purchase them online at vucommodores.com.

Kayci Ferriss inks Vandy NLI

By Weinman - Kayci Ferriss became the third prep standout to submit a National Letter of Intent to play basketball next year for Head Coach Melanie Balcomb's Commodores, faxing in her forms around 3 p.m. this afternoon. Ferris is a 6-8 post player from nearby Gordonsville, Tenn. -- just one hour east of Vanderbilt's campus. Playing for the Smith County High School Lady Owls, Ferriss averaged 21 points and 12 rebounds per game for the 2008-09 season.

Holiday gift idea

Looking for a great gift idea for the holiday season?

Then visit the Vanderbilt Photo Store to personalize a picture for your favorite Commodore Fan!

Click here for more information

WBB adds Jasmine Lister

By Weinman - Jasmine Lister became the second future Commodore to sign a National Letter of Intent this morning. The fax came through around 11 a.m. CT. Lister is a 5-5 point guard from Corona, Calif., and plays her prep ball at Santiago High School. She's rated a Top 25 point guard by Hoopgurlz and is a two-time first-team All-State honoree in California.

Christina Foggie signs WBB NLI

By Weinman - The first National Letter of Intent for the Head Coach Melanie Balcomb's women's basketball team came in around 8:45 a.m. CT this morning from Christina Foggie. A 5-10 guard from Mount Laurel, N.J., Foggie averaged 23.4 points per game as a junior at Lenape High School. She is pictured above in her AAU uniform for a Fencor team that finished third at the 15u National Championships in Cincinnati in 2008.

Just the fax, ma'am

By Weinman - Make sure you've checked that toner cartridge twice, because today is the most exciting day in the life of an athletic department fax machine. It's the first day of the early signing period, and the National Letters of Intent have already started coming through. Sports that can begin signing athletes for the incoming freshmen class of 2010 include: baseball, basketball, bowling, golf, lacrosse, swimming & diving, and tennis. Stay tuned.

And they're off...

by Barca Blog - What a great way to get the men's basketball season started (unofficially).

The Commodores raced out to an early lead and never looked back with a 91-56 victory over Alabama-Huntsville in an exhibition matchup Tuesday night at Memorial Gym.

Sure, at the end of the day, none of the stats actually counted in the scorebook (not even John Jenkins first couple of treys as a 'Dore).

That's okay though.

Like most of you, I was just satisfied to finally have the chance to see this year's bunch on the court after all of the preseason build up.

Now, we move on to the real season, which (officially) begins Monday with a much tougher challenger in Lipscomb... a team favored to win the Atlantic Sun conference.

Until then, get your UAH postgame fix by going to VUcommodores.com for complete coverage including videos, photos, quotes, plus an article by David Namm. Click Here

Photo by Daniel Dubois

All about chemistry

By Barca Blog – It’s no secret that Vanderbilt’s basketball squad is stockpiled with talent.

The Commodores are returning 14 lettermen to the fold from a team that just missed the NCAA Tournament. Throw in the addition of the highest decorated recruit in school history, and the key to this season could be determining how to best utilize its weapons.

Head coach Kevin Stallings will get his first crack at trying to solve the puzzle tonight when the Commodores open up with an exhibition game against Alabama-Huntsville.

As tough as it can be to find that perfect chemistry on the court, having plenty of options will be a plus for Stallings.

“I think that this year, as opposed to last year, we have a much better idea of what it is that we do have.” Stallings said on the first day of practice. “We only have one new guy this year. Last year we had more newcomers than returners. That makes a world of a difference as you prepare in your mind and in your workouts for schemes and things like that. I think that makes a huge difference.”

You can get your first peek of the 2009-10 Commodores tonight by watching a free webcast of the action on VUcommodores.com Click here for more information.

Soccer season comes to an end

The Vanderbilt women’s soccer season is officially over after the NCAA released its 64 team field without the Commodores in it tonight.
 Read More

Video: A.J. Ogilvy reel

by Barca Blog - Next up in our preseason men's basketball highlight series... junior A.J. Ogilvy.

The 6'11 Australian center has accomplished quite a bit in his two seasons at Vanderbilt....

*In 2008-09, Ogilvy earned All-SEC second team honors after leading the Commodores with 15.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.

*Ogilvy became the first sophomore in school history to eclipse the 1,000-point barrier for his career.

*He set a new VU freshman scoring record in 2007-08 with 578 points.

*He's scored in double-figures in 57 out of 63 games and has 17 career 20+ point outings and and eight double-doubles.

We could go on all day with this list. For now, just watch the big guy in action (below) and don't forget to purchase season tickets.

Senior Day festivities set for Saturday

by Barca Blog - Fans, make sure you show up to the Kentucky game early on Saturday to recognize the careers of 24 Commodores on Senior Day. The program is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. CT inside the stadium.

Head coach Bobby Johnson commented on the importance of this class during Monday's press conference.

"Every senior class that comes through is a neat story because you see them come in as freshman and than you see them progress throughout their careers. You see them become better players and you see them mature as people. That is the great thing about being a coach around kids this age; you get to see that process happen.

"Obviously this senior class has done a very good job. They were a part of a bowl team for the first time in 25 years and they take pride in that. They also worked hard during the tough times and when things were not going as they would have liked it to. Those are the type of men that you want around your program."

Here's the full list of senior day participants:
Mackenzi Adams, Bo Baggarley, Patrick Benoist, Greg Billinger, Joel Caldwell, Ryan Custer, Chris DeGeorge, Justin Green, Ryan Hamilton, Jared Hawkins, Eric Hensley, Chris Johnson, John Laughrey, Myron Lewis, Gaston Miller, Chris Reinert, Broderick Stewart, Steven Stone, Brent Trice, Brett Upson, Bradley Vierling, Alex Washington, Thomas Welch and Justin Wheeler.

Photo by Mike Marti

'Cats scratched by injury bug

by Barca Blog - The Commodores have been catching the wrong kinds of breaks this season, especially if you're referring to their weekly injury report.

Kentucky -- Vanderbilt's next opponent -- also knows a thing or two about the injury bug heading into Saturday's conference matchup in Nashville.

According to Brett Dawson of The Courier-Journal, at least 15 players on Kentucky's roster missed Sunday's practice including wide receiver Randall Cobb (thumb), tailback Derrick Locke (knee), and cornerback Trevard Lindley (ankle).

While the Wildcats are banged up (like most teams this time of year), head coach Rich Brooks expects a majority of those players to at least practice in a limited fashion on Tuesday.

One intriguing storyline will be how Brooks handles the quarterback situation for Saturday. Starter Mike Hartline has missed the last four games with a torn medial collateral ligament but could be ready to return to the field. In Hartline's absence, the trio of Morgan Newton, Will Fidler and Cobb have pitched in to lead UK to a 3-1 record. Hartline's status for Saturday is still questionable and may not be determined until later in the week.

Click Here to read Dawson's complete report on UK's injury list.

Trick-or-treat extravaganza

by CHAMPS - On the evening of October 30th, members of Vanderbilt's fraternities and sororities, as well as student-athletes, hosted a fun and safe trick or treating event. Faculty, staff, and university affiliates were invited to bring their families to Greek Row for a trick-or-treat extravaganza.

Although the weather did not cooperate, Vanderbilt families came out despite the wind and rain to visit the Greek houses for candy and games. This was the second year for the event, and it provided a great opportunity for the Vanderbilt community to come together, as well as strengthening the continued partnership between Greek Life and Athletics.

Photo by Steve Green

Tennessee kickoff time announced

by Barca Blog - Just announced by conference officials... Vanderbilt's season finale at Tennessee on November 21 will kickoff at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

On the bubble...

by Barca Blog - The Vanderbilt women's soccer team will find out if it's one of the 64 teams chosen for the NCAA Tournament when the brackets are officially revealed Monday night by the NCAA selection committee.

Head coach Ronnie Woodard feels that her team has done enough to warrant a bid.

"We are hopeful that the NCAA committee is going to think that we are one of the best 64 teams and invite us to the NCAA Tournament," Woodard said following VU's 4-2 loss to No. 16 LSU in the first round of the SEC Tournament Wednesday. "We know that we are a bubble team for the NCAA tournament but we have high hopes that our name will be on the board come Monday."

Since the Commodores (11-8-1) are on the bubble, let's weigh the pros and cons of their resume:

Pros: Vanderbilt ended the regular season winners of four straight -- all shutouts -- including a 1-0 win over No. 17 Ole Miss in Oxford. Their RPI ranking stands at 46th in the nation.

Cons: No more than six teams from the SEC have made the NCAA Tournament in a given year since the conference formed in 1993. Vanderbilt finished seventh in the SEC at 5-6.

Vanderbilt has appeared in the NCAA Tournament seven times in school history and twice during Woodard's tenure (2005 & 2006).

Find out if the 'Dores make the field of 64 by watching the 2009 NCAA Women's Soccer Selection Show on ESPNews Monday night at 7 p.m. CT.

NFL Week 9 Recap

by Barca Blog - Check out how these former Commodores performed in Week 9 of the 2009 NFL season:

Chicago Bears: Lost to Arizona, 41-21
QB Jay Cutler - Started, 29-47, 369 yds, 3 TDs, INT
OL Chris Williams - Started at right tackle
WR Earl Bennett - Started, 7 rec, 93 yds (long 29)
LB Hunter Hillenmeyer - Started, 11 tackles (one for loss)
DB D.J. Moore - Inactive

Tennessee Titans: Defeated San Francisco, 34-27
DT Jovan Haye - Started, two tackles, 0.5 sacks, QB hit

Washington Redskins: Lost to Atlanta, 31-17
TE Todd Yoder - 1 rec, 3 yds, TD; tackle on special teams

New York Giants: Lost to San Diego, 21-20
LB Jonathan Goff - Tackle on special teams

Buffalo Bills: Bye Week
LB Marcus Buggs - Out for season, knee injury in Week 5

Players of the Game - Florida

by Barca Blog - Each week during the season, Vanderbilt's football staff recognizes outstanding player performances on the gridiron. Here's the list of honorees for the Florida game:

Offensive Player of the Game
C Bradley Vierling

Defensive Player of the Game
LB Patrick Benoist

Specialist of the Game
DB Eddie Foster

Scout Offensive Player of the Week
RB Wesley Tate

Scout Defensive Player of the Week
LB Bo Baggarley

Final: Florida 27, Vanderbilt 3

With bowl hopes already extinguished, the Commodores gave a valiant effort against the top-ranked Gators Saturday night in Gainesville.

Coach Bobby Johnson commented on the 27-3 loss following the game:

“Florida is a very good team and to have the chance to win the game, we’d have to do much better than we did tonight. We gave them two opportunities for scores, one was an interception, the other was the downed knee on the punt. We can’t mess up in those situations. I thought we played hard, we just couldn’t seem to get it in the end zone. It’s hard to beat a good team.”

For complete postgame coverage, click here.

(AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)

Florida Gameday Prep

Vanderbilt (2-7, 0-5 SEC) at No. 1 Florida (8-0, 6-0)

Kickoff: 6:15 p.m. CT

Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (88,548) in Gainesville

TV: ESPN2 (Mark Jones and Bob Davie)

Radio: 104.5 the Zone, XM 200, Sirius 220 (More affiliates)

Web: ESPN360 Webcast, Live Audio, Live Stats, Twitter

Weather: High 81/Low 57/0% Chance of Rain

Series: UF leads 31-9-2 (UF leads 17-2-1 in Gainesville)

Last Meeting: Florida 42, Vanderbilt 14 (2008)

Commodore Gameday Central: Click Here

Other Games in the SEC (CT): Live Scores
South Carolina at Arkansas - 11:21 a.m. (SEC Network)
Tennessee Tech at Georgia - 12 p.m. (PPV)
Eastern Kentucky at Kentucky - 12 p.m. (Local Broadcast)
Furman at Auburn - 12:30 p.m. (PPV)
No. 9 LSU at No. 3 Alabama - 2:30 p.m. (CBS)
Memphis at Tennessee - 6 p.m. (ESPNU)
Northern Arizona at Ole Miss - 6:30 p.m. (CSS)