2024 HCS All-Big 12 Women’s Basketball Awards
The Big 12 women’s basketball regular season is over and it is time to hand out some awards as all 14 teams prepare to play at the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City.
The Big 12 coaches will vote on their team. The Big 12 media will vote on their team through the Associated Press. I don’t have a vote in either group.
So, for the third year here at Heartland College Sports, I’m putting together my All-Big 12 Women’s Basketball team. My criteria is my own, but I try to be logical and realistic about who I select. This means many of you will walk away from reading this ticked off. Which I’m OK with.
This exceptional group of players will settle things on the floor in Kansas City. And I’ll be there starting Friday night if you want to argue about it. Or better yet, hit the HCS Message Boards. I’m all for healthy debate.
Here are the superlative awards. The first team, second team, and other teams will appear in another article.
Player of the Year: Skylar Vann, F, Oklahoma
This really came down to Vann and Kansas State’s Ayoka Lee. Both had exceptional seasons. Vann was the Big 12’s Sixth Player of the Year for two straight seasons before this year, so we knew what to expect from her. She became the focal point of OU’s team, averaging 15 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals and nearly one block per game. Out of the shadow of the super-seniors, she flourished and found ways to impact the game even when her shot wasn’t falling (or did you miss the game with Texas last week). She led OU to a Big 12 regular-season title in the program’s final year in the conference. So she won’t be the league’s problem next season.
Freshman of the Year: Audi Crooks, C, Iowa State
By far the hardest selection, as it came down to Crooks and Texas’ Madison Booker (who was the coaches’ selection as preseason freshman of the year). Both have a strong case. Crooks averaged 18.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.5 blocks per game as she was part of Iowa State’s best recruiting class in recent memory. Crooks earned a starting job from the beginning and finished the season as a Top 10 scorer and rebounder in the Big 12. This was the most talented freshman class in the conference in the three years I’ve covered the women for HCS. Good things are coming next season if they all stick around. Booker will be heading to the SEC next season. I expect her to dominate, just as I expect Crooks to next season.
Defensive Player of the Year: JJ Quinerly, G, West Virginia
For most of the season, Quinerly led the Big 12 in steals, only to be overtaken by her teammate, Jordan Harrison, in the final week. Quinerly averaged 3.0 steals for the regular season and more than two steals per game in Big 12 play. Honestly, you could pick Harrison, Kyah Watson, or Lauren Fields here. All four Mountaineers averaged at least two steals per game and led the conference. But Quinerly had an uncanny knack for turning turnovers into points, and it helped fuel her 19.4 points per game, which was fourth-best in the Big 12.
Newcomer of the Year: Lauren Gustin, F, BYU
We can debate about whether a returning player to a new Big 12 school should be the newcomer of the year. The coaches picked Baylor’s Jada Walker in the preseason (she transferred in from Kentucky). BYU is new to the conference, which makes all of its players newcomers to the Big 12. Same goes for Cincinnati, Houston and UCF. Whether you think I’m stretching it or not, Gustin’s performance should be recognized. She was one of a few Big 12 players to average a double-double this season — 17.3 points and 15.4 rebounds.
So, I’m setting the precedent, at least for my team, as I’ll have the same problem with the four new schools coming in next season. I will be consistent and treat them the same way. I’m super interested in how the coaches will vote on this particular award.
Sixth Player of the Year: Aaliyah Moore, F, Texas
Moore had to assume a starting role at times due to frontcourt injuries, but she played the majority of her season off the bench and was one of the few players in that category to score more than 10 points, as she averaged 10.3 points. She also had 5.5 rebounds, along with nearly an assist and steal per game. When you’re looking at a sixth player, you’re looking for someone that can score. But you get something extra with Moore, who has a well-rounded game.
Coach of the Year: Bill Fennelly, Iowa State
You could go with Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk, and I’d give you little argument. But Fennelly lost his G.O.A.T. (Ashley Joens), second-leading scorer (Lexi Donarski), starting center (Stephanie Soares), and top role player (Morgan Kane) to graduation or transfer. He also didn’t have guard Emily Ryan for the first third of the season. He had to trust in his talented recruiting class and a couple of transfers, and it paid off with what amounted to a fourth-place finish in Big 12 play. He has them peaking at the right time.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
