NCAA.com | February 19, 2019

Naismith Trophy announces 10 women's basketball defensive player of the year nominees

Andy Katz calls for a Notre Dame repeat as national champs in women's hoops

The Naismith Trophy announced its 10-player watch list for the women's Defensive Player of the Year award on Tuesday.

The full list includes eight seniors and two juniors. The Big Ten's three nominees leads all conferences, with the SEC right behind with two.

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Mississippi State's Teaira McCowan, one of those eight seniors, is looking to repeat. She won the inaugural Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year award in 2018. No. 1 Baylor is the only school with two players on the list, with Kalani Brown and Lauren Cox.

Women’s Defensive Player of the Year 10 semifinalists:

PLAYER	school	class	position
Kristine Anigwe	California	Senior	Center/Forward
Chastadie Barrs	Lamar	Senior	Guard
Kenisha Bell	Minnesota	Senior	Guard
Kalani Brown	Baylor	Senior	Center
Lauren Cox	Baylor	Junior	Forward
Megan Gustafson	Iowa	Senior	Forward
Ae'Rianna Harris	Purdue	Junior	Forward
Teaira McCowan	Mississippi State	Senior	Center
Taylor Murray	Kentucky	Senior	Guard
Brianna Turner	Notre Dame	Senior	Forward

AWARD WATCH: Here are the 30 players nominated to the Naismith Trophy midseason watch list

The winner will be announced on April 6, the same day that the Naismith women's coach of the year and women's player of the year awards are revealed.