University of Tennessee Athletics
Cooper Named To Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List
February 05, 2025 | Women's Basketball
The Naismith Awards announced the 2025 Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year presented by MOLECULE Watch List, and Tennessee's Talaysia Cooper is among those in consideration.
Cooper, a 6-foot redshirt sophomore guard, is among 15 players in contention for the honor. She is one of only three student-athletes on the list who isn't a junior or above.
The native of Turbeville, S.C., is averaging 17.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.3 steals per contest thus far, with her steals (3.3 spg.) and defensive rebounds (3.6 drpg.) helping fuel Tennessee's transition offense to 91.1 points per contest and a No. 2 national ranking in that category. She also is key in the Lady Vols' press helping generate 12.8 steals per game (No. 10), 24.19 turnovers per game by the opposition (No. 8) and 32.0 points per game off those miscues.
Her 3.3 steals (No. 6 nationally) would put her No. 1 on UT's career list if she continued at that pace through season's end. An average of 3.3 spg. also would equate to No. 3 in a season by a Lady Vol, behind only Shelia Collins (3.645, 1984-85) and Holly Warlick (3.615, 1978-79).
Cooper currently has 70 steals (No. 8 nationally) in only 21 games, which is the highest total by a Lady Vol since Jaime Nared grabbed 73 steals over 33 games in 2017-18. Cooper (70, 2024-25), Nared (73, 2017-18) and Andraya Carter (80, 2014-15) are the only Lady Vols since 2007-08 to card 60+ steals in a campaign.
Earlier this season, Cooper had a career-high nine steals vs. Oklahoma, tying Holly Warlick for third in school history (9, 1/24/79 at LSU). She also had seven vs. Samford, six vs. Missouri, five vs. N.C. Central, Richmond and Winthrop, and four vs. Middle Tennessee, Memphis and Arkansas.
On Feb. 3, Cooper was named to the USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Player of the Year Midseason Watch List. She also was named the SEC Player of the Week and the USBWA's Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Week on Nov. 19 and was the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Player of the Week on Dec. 10.
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Cooper, a 6-foot redshirt sophomore guard, is among 15 players in contention for the honor. She is one of only three student-athletes on the list who isn't a junior or above.
The native of Turbeville, S.C., is averaging 17.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.3 steals per contest thus far, with her steals (3.3 spg.) and defensive rebounds (3.6 drpg.) helping fuel Tennessee's transition offense to 91.1 points per contest and a No. 2 national ranking in that category. She also is key in the Lady Vols' press helping generate 12.8 steals per game (No. 10), 24.19 turnovers per game by the opposition (No. 8) and 32.0 points per game off those miscues.
Her 3.3 steals (No. 6 nationally) would put her No. 1 on UT's career list if she continued at that pace through season's end. An average of 3.3 spg. also would equate to No. 3 in a season by a Lady Vol, behind only Shelia Collins (3.645, 1984-85) and Holly Warlick (3.615, 1978-79).
Cooper currently has 70 steals (No. 8 nationally) in only 21 games, which is the highest total by a Lady Vol since Jaime Nared grabbed 73 steals over 33 games in 2017-18. Cooper (70, 2024-25), Nared (73, 2017-18) and Andraya Carter (80, 2014-15) are the only Lady Vols since 2007-08 to card 60+ steals in a campaign.
Earlier this season, Cooper had a career-high nine steals vs. Oklahoma, tying Holly Warlick for third in school history (9, 1/24/79 at LSU). She also had seven vs. Samford, six vs. Missouri, five vs. N.C. Central, Richmond and Winthrop, and four vs. Middle Tennessee, Memphis and Arkansas.
On Feb. 3, Cooper was named to the USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Player of the Year Midseason Watch List. She also was named the SEC Player of the Week and the USBWA's Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Week on Nov. 19 and was the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Player of the Week on Dec. 10.
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Players Mentioned
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Thursday, August 28
Lady Vol Basketball Season Attendance 2024-25
Thursday, April 10
WBB | Caldwell, Whitehorn, Spencer Postgame Presser | 3.29.25
Saturday, March 29
WBB | Highlights: Lady Vols 59, Texas 67 (3.29.25)
Saturday, March 29
