By: Shanna Rose
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. –West Virginia’s JJ Quinerly is up for another accolade this season.
On Monday, the senior guard was been named a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
Only 10 players in the country were named for the honor and the Mountaineer standout is one of two selections from the Big 12, alongside TCU’s Sedona Prince. The honor marks the second straight season Quinerly has been featured on the list.
Quinerly averages 2.97 steals per game and has recorded 89 steals this season. Both marks are the second-best in the Big 12 Conference and rank No. 13 in the nation. Her 89 steals are 25 off the WVU program single season record of 114.
The Norfolk, Va. native had three or more steals in 17 games this season. Against Oklahoma State she had a game-high eight steals.
Quinerly has been a vital component to WVU’s success and is a big reason that the Mountaineers have the best scoring defense (55.5) in the Big 12. The Lake Taylor High School alum averages 13.6 steals and 23.7 turnovers forced per game. The marks are the best in the Big 12 Conference and the third and sixth best marks in the nation this season.
In 124 collegiate appearances, Quinerly already ranks No. 3 in WVU history with 320 steals, while her 2.6 steals per game ranks fifth.
2025 Naismith Women’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalists:
Lauren Betts – UCLA
Talaysia Cooper – Tennessee
Rori Harmon – Texas
Hannah Hidalgo – Notre Dame
Aneesah Morrow – LSU
Sedona Prince – TCU
JJ Quinerly – West Virginia
Taylor Thierry – Ohio State
Makayla Timpson – Florida State
JuJu Watkins – USC
Photo Credit: Dale Sparks- All Pro Photography/ WVU Athletics
