On Tuesday, the Naismith Awards revealed the semifinalists for the 2025 Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year, presented by MOLECULE, with Tennessee’s Talaysia Cooper among the contenders.
Cooper, a 6-foot redshirt sophomore guard, is one of 10 players still in the running for the honor. Notably, she is one of only three athletes on the list who is not a junior or older.
The Naismith Awards announced on Tuesday the semifinalists for the 2025 Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year, presented by MOLECULE, and Tennessee’s Talaysia Cooper is among the contenders.
Standing 6 feet tall, the redshirt sophomore guard from Turbeville, S.C., is one of 10 players vying for the award—and one of only three who aren’t juniors or older. This season, Cooper is averaging 16.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 3.1 steals per game. Her strong defensive play, including an average of 3.7 defensive rebounds per game, has been pivotal in powering Tennessee’s transition offense to an impressive 87.2 points per contest, earning the team the No. 2 national ranking in that category. Additionally, Cooper is a key component of the Lady Vols’ press, contributing to 11.4 steals per game (No. 19 nationally), forcing 22.35 turnovers per game (No. 9 nationally), and creating opportunities that result in an average of 28.9 points per game off turnovers.
A season average of 3.06 steals per game—ranked 10th nationally—could elevate her to second on UT’s career list if she maintains that pace through the season. Additionally, this average would rank as the fourth-best in a single season by a Lady Vol, trailing only Shelia Collins (3.645 in 1984-85), Holly Warlick (3.615 in 1978-79), and Alexis Hornbuckle (3.081 in 2006-07).
Cooper has amassed 95 steals in 31 games (ranking 9th nationally), marking the highest total by a Lady Vol since Hornbuckle recorded 104 steals in 37 games during the 2007-08 season. Hornbuckle, who also notched 114 steals in 2006-07, remains the only player to crack the Lady Vol top 10 in steals since 1998, when a total of 100 steals secured the No. 10 spot.
Cooper was named to the All-SEC Second Team by league coaches and the USA TODAY Sports Network this season, and she also received SEC All-Defensive Team honors from the coaches.
Earlier in the season, Cooper secured spots on the 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 honored as the SEC Player of the Week and the USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Week on November 19, and later recognized as the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Player of the Week on December 10.
Cooper’s contributions have been key to Tennessee’s success this season. The team boasts a 22-9 overall record, including wins over No. 5/5 UConn and two other ranked opponents, an NCAA NET rating of No. 14, and a rise as high as No. 11 in the national polls. The Lady Vols are set to make their 43rd consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance—a record that no other program has achieved.
