🏀 Jackson Again Named to Naismith Defensive Player of The Year Watch List
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas super-senior center Taiyanna Jackson has been named to the Women’s Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List for the second-consecutive year. The watch list, featuring 15 players, was announced on Wednesday.
Jackson is again on the watch list for the award, which has been presented since 2018 to the most outstanding women’s defensive basketball player who achieves tremendous on-court success. The 10 national semifinalists for the award will be named on March 11, with four finalists to be announced on March 20. The 2024 Women’s Naismith Defensive Player of the Year will then be selected on April 3.
Now in her third season at Kansas, Jackson has put together one of the more decorated careers in Kansas Women’s Basketball history. This season, she is averaging a double-double of 12.4 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, while leading the Big 12 and ranking 10th nationally with 57 blocked shots. Jackson was named the Big 12 Player of the Week on Monday, marking her third career weekly award from the conference.
Jackson continues to etch her name in the record books at Kansas. She recently surpassed 1,000 career points and currently sits at No. 27 in school history with 1,084, while ranking third in career rebounds with 916. Jackson has set KU’s single season record for blocked shots in each of her first two years as a Jayhawk, and she’s now on the cusp of becoming the all-time leader in blocks at Kansas. She enters the week with 261 blocks to her credit, which is eight away of the record set by Lisa Tate (269) from 1991-94.
Jackson is a two-time All-Big 12 and Big 12 All-Defensive Team selection during her time at Kansas. Last season, she advanced to be a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist in addition to being a candidate for the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year award. Jackson was also named WBCA Honorable Mention All-America last season before being named the Most Valuable Player of the 2023 WNIT.
Kansas returns to action on Thursday, February 8, as the Jayhawks host Houston at 6:30 p.m. CT inside Allen Fieldhouse.
Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year Watch List
Cameron Brink, F, Stanford
Jordyn Cambridge, G, Vanderbilt
Kamilla Cardoso, C, South Carolina
Lucy Cochrane, F, Portland
Lauren Gustin, F, BYU
Hannah Hidalgo, G, Notre Dame
Taiyanna Jackson, C, Kansas
Elizabeth Kitley, C, Virginia Tech
Ayoka Lee, C, Kansas State
Rayah Marshall, C/F, USC
Aneesah Morrow, G, LSU
JJ Quinerly, G, West Virginia
Angel Reese, F, LSU
Celeste Taylor, G, Ohio State
Serah Williams, F, Wisconsin
