Big 12 Announces Women’s All-Conference Basketball Team
Baylor forward NaLyssa Smith was named the Big 12 Player of the Year by the league’s coaches, as the league announced its entire team on Monday.
Smith, who was also the Heartland College Sports Big 12 Women’s Player of the Year, was selected to the First Team and the Defensive Team. Smith was a unanimous selection, won the award for the second straight season and was the fifth player to win the award at least two seasons in a row. Smith averaged a Big 12-best 23.1 points and 10.7 rebounds in league games.
Kansas coach Brandon Schneider was selected the Coach of the Year after leading the Jayhawks to their first 20-win season since 2013 and to a Top 5 finish in Big 12 play. Kansas was selected by the coaches to finish last in the conference. He has Kansas pointed toward its first NCAA Tournament berth in nearly a decade. Kansas opens the Big 12 Tournament on Thursday against Oklahoma.
Lexi Donarski became the first Iowa State player to win Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. She was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2021.
Baylor’s Jordan Lewis was the Newcomer of the Year after averaging 11.8 points and 5.3 assists with a 2.32 assist-to-turnover ratio. She set the NCAA career record with 160 games played.
Texas guard Rori Harmon was the Freshman of the Year. Harmon averaged 10.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, all of which rank in the league’s Top 20. She is the first Texas freshman since 2017 to earn the award.
Oklahoma’s Skylar Vann was the Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year. She averaged 12.0 points in 28 appearances off the bench. She is the only player from an Power 5 conference to average at least 12 points and five rebounds in at least 20 games off the bench.
All-Big 12 Women’s Basketball Team
(as voted on by Big 12 coaches)
Coach of the Year: Brandon Schiender, Kansas
Player of the Year: NaLyssa Smith, Baylor
Defensive Player of the Year: Lexi Donarski, Iowa State
Newcomer of the Year: Jordan Lewis, Baylor
Freshman of the Year: Rori Harmon, Texas
Sixth Player Award: Skylar Vann, Oklahoma
2022 All-Big 12 First Team
G Jordan Lewis, Baylor
F NaLyssa Smith, Baylor
G Lexi Donarski, Iowa State
G/F Ashley Joens, Iowa State
G Emily Ryan, Iowa State
G Holly Kersgieter, Kansas
C Ayoka Lee, Kansas State
G Taylor Robertson, Oklahoma
G/F Madi Williams, Oklahoma
G Vivian Gray, Texas Tech
All-Big 12 Second Team
G Sarah Andrews, Baylor
G Lauren Fields, Oklahoma State
G Joanne Allen-Taylor, Texas
G Rori Harmon, Texas
F Esmery Martinez, West Virginia
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
Baylor: Ja’Mee Asberry, Queen Egbo
Kansas: Zakiyah Franklin, Taiyanna Jackson
Kansas State: Serena Sundell
TCU: Lauren Heard
Texas: Lauren Ebo, Aliyah Matharu
West Virginia: KK Deans, Kari Niblack, Madisen Smith
Big 12 All-Defensive Team
F NaLyssa Smith, Baylor
G Lexi Donarski, Iowa State
C Taiyanna Jackson, Kansas
C Ayoka Lee, Kansas State
G Rori Harmon, Texas
Big 12 All-Freshman Team
G Brylee Glenn, Kansas State
G Serena Sundell, Kansas State
G Kelbie Washington, Oklahoma
G Rori Harmon, Texas
G JJ Quinerly, West Virginia
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
