Alex Thomas | NCAA.com | February 23, 2021 Semifinalists named for 2021 Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year Women's basketball rankings: Texas A&M jumps to No. 2 in Week 14 of the Power 10 Share The Naismith Trophy announced 10 players as semifinalists for the women's Defensive Player of the Year award. Last year, Baylor's DiDi Richards took home the award — and returns on the 2021's list. LATEST RANKINGS: Power 10 | NET Rankings | AP Top 25 Oklahoma State's Natasha Mack leads the country in blocks with 96. She's swatting 4.17 shots per game, which puts her No. 1 in that category, as well. Northwestern's Veronica Burton currently leads the country in steals, swiping away 72 so far this season. Patterson is averaging over four steals per game. Below you'll find the list of the full list of 2021 semifinalists: FULL NAME CLASS POS SCHOOL CONFERENCE Aliyah Boston So. F South Carolina SEC Veronica Burton Jr. G Northwestern Big Ten Charli Collier Jr. F/C Texas Big 12 Elissa Cunane Jr. C NC State ACC Natasha Mack Sr. F Oklahoma State Big 12 Aari McDonald Sr. G Arizona Pac-12 Nancy Mulkey Sr. C Rice C-USA Olivia Nelson-Ododa Jr. F UConn BIG EAST Chasity Patterson Sr. G Kentucky SEC DiDi Richards Sr. G Baylor Big 12 2022 March Madness South Carolina beats UConn for 2022 title | Tournament results | Full bracket BRACKET TRACKER: How every perfect bracket busted STORE: Official South Carolina championship gear| Latest college basketball gear Rutgers' C. Vivian Stringer announces retirement after Hall of Fame coaching career Rutgers women's basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer announces her retirement after a Hall of Fame career, leaving the game with 1,055 wins and countless lives improved through leadership, mentorship and guidance. READ MORE The colleges (and conferences) with the most players taken in the 2022 WNBA draft Thirty-six new players were drafted into the WNBA in 2022, including 34 from NCAA Division I programs. The most came from the ACC and SEC. READ MORE College basketball teams with the most WNBA 1st-round draft picks Connecticut leads all women's college basketball programs with 25 players taken in the first round of the WNBA draft. READ MORE