University of Tennessee Athletics
Lady Vol Trio Named To USBWA Watch Lists
November 05, 2025 | Women's Basketball
Three Lady Vols have been named to 2025-26 United States Basketball Writers Association Preseason Player of the Year Watch Lists.
Senior Janiah Barker and redshirt junior Talaysia Cooper were among the 50 players named to the USBWA's Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Preseason Watch List, while Mia Pauldo was one of 20 freshmen chosen for the USBWA Tamika Catchings Award Preseason Watch List.
The Ann Meyers Drysdale Award is presented annually to the women's national player of the year by the USBWA. Named for the legendary UCLA guard, the award was first presented in the 1987-88 season and formally named in Meyers Drysdale's honor in the 2011-12 season. Meyers Drysdale played at UCLA from 1974-78, which pre-dates the USBWA All-America selections. She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.
At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, which is voted on by the entire membership. The winner of the award will be announced at the 2026 Women's Final Four in Phoenix, with the formal presentation to follow at the annual USBWA Awards Luncheon hosted by the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
After picking up 2024-25 All-SEC Second Team and Coaches SEC All-Defensive Team accolades last season, Cooper is a preseason first-team pick by the coaches and second-team selection by the media on the 2025-26 Preseason All-SEC Team. In addition to the Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year Watch List, Cooper is on the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy national player of the year and Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award preseason watch lists.
Cooper, who averaged 16.6 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 3.2 apg. and 3.1 spg. a year ago, had an excellent debut performance in the 2025-26 opener against #9/8 NC State on Tuesday. The 6-foot guard notched a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds and also led the team in assists (7) and steals (3) while committing only one turnover on the day.
Barker, a transfer from UCLA, picked up her second watch list nod of the preseason after she was named last week to the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award Watch List. The preseason recognition comes after Barker was named the Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year last season while averaging 7.4 ppg. and 6.0 rpg. for the Bruins on their way to the NCAA Final Four.
The 6-4 forward made her Lady Vol debut against NC State in the starting lineup, tallying 15 points and two rebounds. Her performance was business as usual for Barker, as she averaged 10.3 ppg., 6.0 rpg. and 1.2 apg. while shooting 46.9 percent from the field in her first three collegiate seasons. Her 15-point performance marked the 44th time in her career she scored in double figures, including two seasons at Texas A&M, one at UCLA and now her final collegiate campaign at Tennessee.
Mia Pauldo, meanwhile, arrived at UT as the No. 9 overall player and No. 4 point guard in espnW 100. Pauldo acquired McDonald's All-American accolades as well as being named the Gatorade New Jersey Girls Basketball Player of the Year in her senior year of high school. The Paterson, New Jersey, native amassed 2,143 career points, 587 assists, 495 rebounds and 359 steals at Morris Catholic High School.
The rookie guard was the first freshman to start an opener for the Lady Vols since 2021 and the 24th all-time in the game vs. NC State. Pauldo showed up big in her first collegiate top-10 match-up, finishing as one of four Lady Vols scoring in double figures. She put together a line of 10 points, six rebounds and an assist with only one turnover in 28 minutes of action.
The USBWA has named a national freshman player of the year since the 1991-92 season. In the 2020-21 season, the award was named for Tamika Catchings, the legendary Tennessee star who was a three-time USBWA All-American and the association's national freshman player of the year in the 1997-98 season.
At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, who are then voted on by the entire membership. The winner of the award will be announced at the 2026 Women's Final Four in Phoenix, with the formal presentation to follow at the annual USBWA Awards Luncheon hosted by the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee women's basketball team on social media, follow @LadyVol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /BallWithTheLadyVols on Facebook.
Senior Janiah Barker and redshirt junior Talaysia Cooper were among the 50 players named to the USBWA's Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Preseason Watch List, while Mia Pauldo was one of 20 freshmen chosen for the USBWA Tamika Catchings Award Preseason Watch List.
The Ann Meyers Drysdale Award is presented annually to the women's national player of the year by the USBWA. Named for the legendary UCLA guard, the award was first presented in the 1987-88 season and formally named in Meyers Drysdale's honor in the 2011-12 season. Meyers Drysdale played at UCLA from 1974-78, which pre-dates the USBWA All-America selections. She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.
At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, which is voted on by the entire membership. The winner of the award will be announced at the 2026 Women's Final Four in Phoenix, with the formal presentation to follow at the annual USBWA Awards Luncheon hosted by the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
After picking up 2024-25 All-SEC Second Team and Coaches SEC All-Defensive Team accolades last season, Cooper is a preseason first-team pick by the coaches and second-team selection by the media on the 2025-26 Preseason All-SEC Team. In addition to the Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year Watch List, Cooper is on the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy national player of the year and Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award preseason watch lists.
Cooper, who averaged 16.6 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 3.2 apg. and 3.1 spg. a year ago, had an excellent debut performance in the 2025-26 opener against #9/8 NC State on Tuesday. The 6-foot guard notched a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds and also led the team in assists (7) and steals (3) while committing only one turnover on the day.
Barker, a transfer from UCLA, picked up her second watch list nod of the preseason after she was named last week to the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award Watch List. The preseason recognition comes after Barker was named the Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year last season while averaging 7.4 ppg. and 6.0 rpg. for the Bruins on their way to the NCAA Final Four.
The 6-4 forward made her Lady Vol debut against NC State in the starting lineup, tallying 15 points and two rebounds. Her performance was business as usual for Barker, as she averaged 10.3 ppg., 6.0 rpg. and 1.2 apg. while shooting 46.9 percent from the field in her first three collegiate seasons. Her 15-point performance marked the 44th time in her career she scored in double figures, including two seasons at Texas A&M, one at UCLA and now her final collegiate campaign at Tennessee.
Mia Pauldo, meanwhile, arrived at UT as the No. 9 overall player and No. 4 point guard in espnW 100. Pauldo acquired McDonald's All-American accolades as well as being named the Gatorade New Jersey Girls Basketball Player of the Year in her senior year of high school. The Paterson, New Jersey, native amassed 2,143 career points, 587 assists, 495 rebounds and 359 steals at Morris Catholic High School.
The rookie guard was the first freshman to start an opener for the Lady Vols since 2021 and the 24th all-time in the game vs. NC State. Pauldo showed up big in her first collegiate top-10 match-up, finishing as one of four Lady Vols scoring in double figures. She put together a line of 10 points, six rebounds and an assist with only one turnover in 28 minutes of action.
The USBWA has named a national freshman player of the year since the 1991-92 season. In the 2020-21 season, the award was named for Tamika Catchings, the legendary Tennessee star who was a three-time USBWA All-American and the association's national freshman player of the year in the 1997-98 season.
At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, who are then voted on by the entire membership. The winner of the award will be announced at the 2026 Women's Final Four in Phoenix, with the formal presentation to follow at the annual USBWA Awards Luncheon hosted by the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee women's basketball team on social media, follow @LadyVol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /BallWithTheLadyVols on Facebook.
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