COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Naismith Awards announced the semifinalists for the 2025 Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year presented by MOLECULE on Tuesday. Senior guard/forward Taylor Thierry was among 10 semifinalists after being named to the award’s watch list last month.

Thierry was named to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team this season by both the league’s head coaches and media voters. She was also named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll on Jan. 27 – the fourth weekly Big Ten honor in her career. She has previously earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Second Team (twice), All-Big Ten Defensive Team (2023) and Big Ten All-Tournament Team (2023).

Thierry ranks 10^th in program history with 231 career steals. A well-rounded player throughout her career, she also ranks sixth in field goal percentage (.596), 15^th in rebounds (664), 19^th in free throws made (246), 21^st in free throws attempted (352) and 25^th in scoring (1,246).

This season, Thierry is averaging 10.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.1 assists per game, while shooting 26-of-54 (.481) from behind the arc. She is tied for the Big Ten lead in steals per game and ranks in the nation’s top 50 in the category. Thierry recorded a career-high seven steals on Dec. 14, 2024 against Youngstown State. Thierry’s 74 steals this season is tied for her career-high and contributes to the Buckeyes’ 382 team steals, a single-season number that ranks third in program history.

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