University of Tennessee Athletics
Cooper Snares All-SEC, All-Defensive Team Honors
March 04, 2025 | Women's Basketball
The Southeastern Conference announced its 2025 women's basketball postseason awards Tuesday, and Tennessee redshirt sophomore Talaysia Cooper earned two honors based on voting from the league's coaches.
Cooper, a 6-foot guard from Turbeville, S.C., made the All-SEC Second Team and was chosen to the six-player SEC All-Defensive Team. Those accolades mark the first postseason athletic honors of Cooper's collegiate career in addition to SEC Academic Honor Roll recognition in 2022-23.
Starting 26 of 29 games this season, the dynamic two-way player leads the Lady Vols in points per game (16.7), rebounds per game (5.6), steals per game (3.0) and blocks per game (0.7) while hitting 45 percent from the field and ranking second in assists per game (3.2). Cooper has scored in double figures 25 times, carded 11 efforts of 20+ points and notched 12 quarters where she produced 10 points or more. She also has recorded three double-doubles and three double-figure rebounding efforts as well.
The UT standout ranks No. 1 in steals (88) and steals average (3.03) and No. 11 in scoring (16.7) among SEC players this season, while her steals total and average stack up 10th and 11th, respectively, among all NCAA Division I players. She has played an instrumental role on both ends of the floor for Kim Caldwell's squad, helping Tennessee become one of the nation's best units in scoring, three-point shooting and offensive rebounding as well as in racking up steals and forcing turnovers via the press and in its halfcourt defensive sets.
Her steals average of 3.03 currently ranks No. 4 on UT's all-time single-season list behind Shelia Collins (3.645, 1984-85), Holly Warlick (3.615, 1978-79) and Alexis Hornbuckle (3.081, 2006-07). That average also would place her No. 2 on UT's career list behind only Holly Warlick (3.247, 1976-80) if she maintains that average through the season's end.
The total of 88 steals in 2024-25 by Cooper stands as the most by a Lady Vol since Alexis Hornbuckle racked up 104 and Candace Parker collected 88 in 2007-08. Cooper's career-best nine steals vs. Oklahoma also tied Holly Warlick for third most in school history (9, 1/24/79 at LSU). Cooper also had seven vs. Samford, six vs. Missouri and Ole Miss, and five vs. N.C. Central, Richmond and Winthrop.
Cooper and her teammates are headed to Greenville, S.C., where they will open play in the SEC Tournament at 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday against Texas A&M. The game will be televised by SEC Network and available on Lady Vol Radio Network stations as well as via audio stream on UTSports.com.
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Cooper, a 6-foot guard from Turbeville, S.C., made the All-SEC Second Team and was chosen to the six-player SEC All-Defensive Team. Those accolades mark the first postseason athletic honors of Cooper's collegiate career in addition to SEC Academic Honor Roll recognition in 2022-23.
Starting 26 of 29 games this season, the dynamic two-way player leads the Lady Vols in points per game (16.7), rebounds per game (5.6), steals per game (3.0) and blocks per game (0.7) while hitting 45 percent from the field and ranking second in assists per game (3.2). Cooper has scored in double figures 25 times, carded 11 efforts of 20+ points and notched 12 quarters where she produced 10 points or more. She also has recorded three double-doubles and three double-figure rebounding efforts as well.
The UT standout ranks No. 1 in steals (88) and steals average (3.03) and No. 11 in scoring (16.7) among SEC players this season, while her steals total and average stack up 10th and 11th, respectively, among all NCAA Division I players. She has played an instrumental role on both ends of the floor for Kim Caldwell's squad, helping Tennessee become one of the nation's best units in scoring, three-point shooting and offensive rebounding as well as in racking up steals and forcing turnovers via the press and in its halfcourt defensive sets.
Her steals average of 3.03 currently ranks No. 4 on UT's all-time single-season list behind Shelia Collins (3.645, 1984-85), Holly Warlick (3.615, 1978-79) and Alexis Hornbuckle (3.081, 2006-07). That average also would place her No. 2 on UT's career list behind only Holly Warlick (3.247, 1976-80) if she maintains that average through the season's end.
The total of 88 steals in 2024-25 by Cooper stands as the most by a Lady Vol since Alexis Hornbuckle racked up 104 and Candace Parker collected 88 in 2007-08. Cooper's career-best nine steals vs. Oklahoma also tied Holly Warlick for third most in school history (9, 1/24/79 at LSU). Cooper also had seven vs. Samford, six vs. Missouri and Ole Miss, and five vs. N.C. Central, Richmond and Winthrop.
Cooper and her teammates are headed to Greenville, S.C., where they will open play in the SEC Tournament at 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday against Texas A&M. The game will be televised by SEC Network and available on Lady Vol Radio Network stations as well as via audio stream on UTSports.com.
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Players Mentioned
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