Quinerly Named a Semifinalist for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year
March 11, 2024 11:59 AM | Women's Basketball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Junior guard JJ Quinerly of the West Virginia women's basketball has been named a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, announced Monday afternoon by Naismith Awards.
The elite group of names includes just 10 players from across the country. Quinerly is one of three selections from the Big 12, alongside Kansas' Taiyanna Jackson and Kansas State's Ayoka Lee.
A native of Norfolk, Virginia, Quinerly averages 2.94 steals per game and has recorded 91 steals this season. Both marks are the second-best in the Big 12 Conference and rank No. 15 and No. 13 in the nation, respectively. Her 91 steals are 23 off the WVU program single season record of 114.
This season, Quinerly has produced 16 games with three or more steals and adds a game-high of eight.
Her efforts have helped the Mountaineers to the second-best scoring defense (57.8) in the conference. Quinerly has spearheaded a defensive attack that averages 13.9 steals and 23.9 turnovers forced per game. The marks are the second and third-best in the nation this season.
In just 92 collegiate appearances, Quinerly already ranks No. 8 in WVU history with 225 steals, while her 2.4 steals per game rank seventh.
2024 Naismith Women's Basketball Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalists:
Cameron Brink - Stanford
Jordyn Cambridge - Vanderbilt
Kamilla Cardoso – South Carolina
Hannah Hidalgo – Notre Dame
Taiyanna Jackson - Kansas
Elizabeth Kitley – Virginia Tech
Ayoka Lee – Kansas State
JJ Quinerly – West Virginia
Angel Reese - LSU
Celeste Taylor – Ohio State
The elite group of names includes just 10 players from across the country. Quinerly is one of three selections from the Big 12, alongside Kansas' Taiyanna Jackson and Kansas State's Ayoka Lee.
A native of Norfolk, Virginia, Quinerly averages 2.94 steals per game and has recorded 91 steals this season. Both marks are the second-best in the Big 12 Conference and rank No. 15 and No. 13 in the nation, respectively. Her 91 steals are 23 off the WVU program single season record of 114.
This season, Quinerly has produced 16 games with three or more steals and adds a game-high of eight.
Her efforts have helped the Mountaineers to the second-best scoring defense (57.8) in the conference. Quinerly has spearheaded a defensive attack that averages 13.9 steals and 23.9 turnovers forced per game. The marks are the second and third-best in the nation this season.
In just 92 collegiate appearances, Quinerly already ranks No. 8 in WVU history with 225 steals, while her 2.4 steals per game rank seventh.
2024 Naismith Women's Basketball Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalists:
Cameron Brink - Stanford
Jordyn Cambridge - Vanderbilt
Kamilla Cardoso – South Carolina
Hannah Hidalgo – Notre Dame
Taiyanna Jackson - Kansas
Elizabeth Kitley – Virginia Tech
Ayoka Lee – Kansas State
JJ Quinerly – West Virginia
Angel Reese - LSU
Celeste Taylor – Ohio State
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