University of Tennessee Athletics
Cooper Named Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist
March 11, 2025 | Women's Basketball
The Naismith Awards announced the semifinalists for the 2025 Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year presented by MOLECULE on Tuesday, and Tennessee's Talaysia Cooper is among those in consideration for the award.
Cooper, a 6-foot redshirt sophomore guard, is among 10 players still 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 16.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3.1 steals per contest thus far, with her steals and defensive rebounds (3.7 drpg.) helping fuel Tennessee's transition offense to 87.2 points per contest and a No. 2 national ranking in that category. She also is key in the Lady Vols' press helping generate 11.4 steals per game (No. 19), 22.35 turnovers per game by the opposition (No. 9) and 28.9 points per game off those miscues.
Her 3.06 steals (No. 10 nationally) would put her No. 2 on UT's career list if she continued at that pace through season's end. An average of 3.06 spg. also would equate to No. 4 in a season all-time by a Lady Vol, behind only Shelia Collins (3.645, 1984-85), Holly Warlick (3.615, 1978-79) and Alexis Hornbuckle (3.081, 2006-07).
Cooper currently has 95 steals (No. 9 nationally) in 31 games, which is the highest total by a Lady Vol since Hornbuckle tallied 104 over 37 contests in 2007-08. Hornbuckle, who also had a 114-steal season in 2006-07, is the only player to join the Lady Vol top 10 in that category since 1998, with 100 being the No. 10 total on that list.
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 and Ole Miss, five vs. N.C. Central, Richmond and Winthrop, and four vs. Middle Tennessee, Memphis, Arkansas and Vanderbilt.
Cooper was voted by league coaches and the USA TODAY Sports Network as an All-SEC Second Team performer this season and was the recipient of SEC All-Defensive Team accolades from the coaches as well.
Earlier this season, Cooper was named a member of player of the year watch lists for the USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, the John R. Wooden Award and the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy. Additionally, she was selected as 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.
Cooper's performance has been instrumental in Tennessee's success this season, which has included a 22-9 overall record, a victory over No. 5/5 UConn and two other ranked teams, an NCAA NET rating of No. 14 and the ascension to a ranking as high as No. 11 in the national polls. The Lady Vols are set to make their 43rd consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, a feat unmatched by any other program.
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Cooper, a 6-foot redshirt sophomore guard, is among 10 players still 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 16.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3.1 steals per contest thus far, with her steals and defensive rebounds (3.7 drpg.) helping fuel Tennessee's transition offense to 87.2 points per contest and a No. 2 national ranking in that category. She also is key in the Lady Vols' press helping generate 11.4 steals per game (No. 19), 22.35 turnovers per game by the opposition (No. 9) and 28.9 points per game off those miscues.
Her 3.06 steals (No. 10 nationally) would put her No. 2 on UT's career list if she continued at that pace through season's end. An average of 3.06 spg. also would equate to No. 4 in a season all-time by a Lady Vol, behind only Shelia Collins (3.645, 1984-85), Holly Warlick (3.615, 1978-79) and Alexis Hornbuckle (3.081, 2006-07).
Cooper currently has 95 steals (No. 9 nationally) in 31 games, which is the highest total by a Lady Vol since Hornbuckle tallied 104 over 37 contests in 2007-08. Hornbuckle, who also had a 114-steal season in 2006-07, is the only player to join the Lady Vol top 10 in that category since 1998, with 100 being the No. 10 total on that list.
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 and Ole Miss, five vs. N.C. Central, Richmond and Winthrop, and four vs. Middle Tennessee, Memphis, Arkansas and Vanderbilt.
Cooper was voted by league coaches and the USA TODAY Sports Network as an All-SEC Second Team performer this season and was the recipient of SEC All-Defensive Team accolades from the coaches as well.
Earlier this season, Cooper was named a member of player of the year watch lists for the USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, the John R. Wooden Award and the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy. Additionally, she was selected as 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.
Cooper's performance has been instrumental in Tennessee's success this season, which has included a 22-9 overall record, a victory over No. 5/5 UConn and two other ranked teams, an NCAA NET rating of No. 14 and the ascension to a ranking as high as No. 11 in the national polls. The Lady Vols are set to make their 43rd consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, a feat unmatched by any other program.
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Players Mentioned
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