Michigan State University Athletics
Jones Named to Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List
1/27/2026 4:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball junior guard Rashunda Jones was named to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List. She was one of 25 players named to the watch list that honors the top defensive players in Division I.
Jones is one of four Big Ten players named to the watch list, along with UCLA's Lauren Betts, Ohio State's Kennedy Cambridge and USC's Jazzy Davidson.
In her first season with the Spartans, the South Bend, Indiana native is one of three Spartans to have started all 20 games so far this season. Jones is second in the Big Ten in steals, averaging 2.65 spg. She has a total of 53 steals this season. Jones is a huge part of the Spartans standing second in the Big Ten in assist/turnover ratio (12.35).
MSU hits the road to take on Purdue on Thursday, Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
2026 Defensive Player of the Year Watch List
KK Arnold, UConn
Raegan Beers, Oklahoma
Lauren Betts, UCLA
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Madison Booker, Texas
Kennedy Cambridge, Ohio State
Talaysia Cooper, Tennessee
Julia Dalan, Portland
Jazzy Davidson, USC
Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
Toby Fournier, Duke
Madison Francis, Mississippi State
MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU
Rori Harmon, Texas
Jordan Harrison, West Virginia
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Uche Izoje, Syracuse
Raven Johnson, South Carolina
Rashunda Jones, Michigan State
Latasha Lattimore, Ole Miss
Indya Nivar, North Carolina
Khamil Pierre, NC State
Ny'Ceara Pryor, Texas A&M
Clara Strack, Kentucky
Sarah Strong, UConn
Jones is one of four Big Ten players named to the watch list, along with UCLA's Lauren Betts, Ohio State's Kennedy Cambridge and USC's Jazzy Davidson.
In her first season with the Spartans, the South Bend, Indiana native is one of three Spartans to have started all 20 games so far this season. Jones is second in the Big Ten in steals, averaging 2.65 spg. She has a total of 53 steals this season. Jones is a huge part of the Spartans standing second in the Big Ten in assist/turnover ratio (12.35).
MSU hits the road to take on Purdue on Thursday, Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
2026 Defensive Player of the Year Watch List
KK Arnold, UConn
Raegan Beers, Oklahoma
Lauren Betts, UCLA
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Madison Booker, Texas
Kennedy Cambridge, Ohio State
Talaysia Cooper, Tennessee
Julia Dalan, Portland
Jazzy Davidson, USC
Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
Toby Fournier, Duke
Madison Francis, Mississippi State
MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU
Rori Harmon, Texas
Jordan Harrison, West Virginia
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Uche Izoje, Syracuse
Raven Johnson, South Carolina
Rashunda Jones, Michigan State
Latasha Lattimore, Ole Miss
Indya Nivar, North Carolina
Khamil Pierre, NC State
Ny'Ceara Pryor, Texas A&M
Clara Strack, Kentucky
Sarah Strong, UConn
Players Mentioned
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