By: Shanna Rose
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Three members of the West Virginia University women’s basketball team have been named to the 2024-25 All-Big 12 Conference teams.
On Tuesday, senior guards JJ Quinerly and Kyah Watson and junior guard Jordan Harrison all received accolades.
Quinerly headlines this year’s selections as the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year along with earning All-Big 12 First Team and the All-Big 12 Defensive Team honors. She was a unanimous selection for both the first and defensive teams.
Quinerly is the only player in program history to be named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year and is now a two-time recipient of the honor after earning the distinction last season. She is just the fourth player in Big 12 history to be named the defensive player of the year multiple times, joining Courtney Paris of Oklahoma (2006-07-08), Brittney Griner of Baylor (2010-11-12-13) and Lauren Cox of Baylor (2018-19).
The Norfolk, Virginia native is the second player in program history to be named a first-team selection three times in their career, joining Bria Holmes (2014-15-16). She is also the first Mountaineer to be featured on the conference’s defensive team three times.
Watson joins Quinerly on the conference defensive team. The Rapid City, South Dakota native was also named an honorable mention all-conference selection and Harrison was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team.
Quinerly is the 14th Mountaineer to be named to the league’s first team. Additionally, Quinerly and Watson mark the ninth and tenth Mountaineers’ to be named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team. It marks the second straight season two WVU student-athletes have been featured on the list.
The trio helped the Mountaineers become one of the best defenses in the conference. WVU led the Big 12 in scoring defense (54.4), steals (411), steal per game (14.2), turnovers forced (708), and turnover margin (+8.76).
WVU now has 35 all-conference team selections across 13 seasons in the Big 12.
2025 All-Big 12 WBB Yearly Award Winners
Player of the Year: Hailey Van Lith, TCU
Freshman of the Year: Delaney Gibb, BYU*
Newcomer of the Year: Hailey Van Lith, TCU
Defensive Player of the Year: JJ Quinerly, West Virginia
Sixth Player of the Year: Yaya Felder, Baylor
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Gianna Kneepkens, Utah
Coach of the Year: Mark Campbell, TCU
All-Big 12 First Team
Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, Baylor
Audi Crooks, Iowa State*
S’Mya Nichols, Kansas
Serena Sundell, K-State
Stailee Heard, Oklahoma State
Madison Conner, TCU
Sedona Prince, TCU*
Hailey Van Lith, TCU*
Gianna Kneepkens, Utah
JJ Quinerly, West Virginia West Virginia*
All-Big 12 Second Team
Sarah Andrews, Baylor
Aaronette Vonleh, Baylor
Delaney Gibb, BYU
Addy Brown, Iowa State
Ayoka Lee, K-State
All-Big 12 Third Team
Jillian Hayes, Cincinnati
Temira Poindexter, K-State
Anna Gret Asi, Oklahoma State
Jordan Harrison, West Virginia
Mayè Tourè, Utah
Honorable Mention: Arizona: Breya Cunningham, Arizona State: Jalyn Brown, Tyi Skinner, Baylor: Bella Fontleroy, Jada Walker, UCF: Kaitlin Peterson, Colorado: Frida Formann, Jade Masogayo, Iowa State: Emily Ryan, Kansas: Elle Evans, K-State: Jaelyn Glenn, Oklahoma State: Micah Gray, Texas Tech: Bailey Maupin, Jasmine Shavers, Utah: Kennady McQueen, West Virginia: Kyah Watson
All-Big 12 Freshman Team
Lauryn Swann, Arizona
Delaney Gibb, BYU*
Emely Rodriguez, UCF
Regan Williams, Kansas
Jadyn Wooten, Oklahoma State
All-Big 12 Defensive Team
Bella Fontleroy, Baylor
Zyanna Walker, K-State
Sedona Prince, TCU*
JJ Quinerly, West Virginia* Kyah Watson, West Virginia
Players are sorted in alphabetical order by school.
*Indicates unanimous selection.
Photo Credit: WVU Athletics
