Talaysia Cooper is making her presence felt on both ends of the floor, and now the national spotlight is catching up.
The Tennessee Lady Vols guard has been named to the 2026 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List-an honor reserved for just 25 players across the country. Cooper is one of 12 SEC players to make the cut, underscoring just how deep and competitive the conference is on the defensive end. But make no mistake, Cooper’s spot isn’t just about reputation-it’s about production.
A semifinalist for the award last season, Cooper has only raised her level of play under first-year head coach Kim Caldwell. She’s the engine behind Tennessee’s aggressive press, and the numbers back it up.
Cooper is averaging 3.375 steals per game, which currently ranks 14th in the nation. That’s not just good-it’s historic in the context of Lady Vols basketball.
If she maintains that pace, it would be the third-highest single-season steals average in program history. The only name ahead of her?
Lady Vols legend Holly Warlick, who holds the career average record at 3.18 steals per game.
But Cooper’s impact doesn’t stop at defense. She’s also leading the team in scoring, averaging 14.4 points per game while shooting 42.3% from the field, 32.6% from beyond the arc, and 64% from the free throw line.
Add in 5.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and nearly half a block per game, and you’ve got a player who’s doing a little bit of everything-and doing it consistently. She’s appeared in 16 games so far this season, starting 13 of them.
With Cooper steering the ship, Tennessee has climbed to No. 15 in the latest AP Poll and sits alone atop the SEC standings with a 14-3 record overall and an unblemished 6-0 mark in conference play. The Lady Vols are the only team in the SEC yet to lose a conference game-a testament to their balance, toughness, and the relentless pace they’re playing with under Caldwell’s leadership.
Next up: a home matchup against Mississippi State on Thursday. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m.
ET on SECN+. Cooper will be key once again-not just as a scorer or a defender, but as the tone-setter for a Tennessee team that’s starting to look like a serious contender.
If she keeps this up, Cooper won’t just be on the watch list-she’ll be in the thick of the conversation when it comes time to hand out the hardware.