WVU Women’s Basketball Star Jordan Harrison Among Finalists for Major Award

In addition to leading WVU women’s basketball on an historic season, senior guard Jordan Harrison may be able to cap her career off with a major award as well.

Harrison has been named a finalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, announced Monday afternoon by Naismith Awards.

The elite group of names includes just four players from across the country. Harrison joins the likes of UCLA’s Lauren Betts, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo, and UCONN’s Sarah Strong on the list.

All four finalists are invited to attend our 2026 Naismith Awards Announcement ceremony in Phoenix on Wednesday, April 1, at 5:30 pm ET. There, all four finalists will be recognized, and a winner will be crowned.

A native of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Harrison becomes just the second Mountaineer to be named a finalist for the nation’s defensive player of the year. It marks the second straight season a Mountaineer has been named to the list, as JJ Quinerly was named a finalist last season.

Harrison averages 3.2 steals per game and has recorded 110 steals this season. Her total steals rank second on the Mountaineers all-time single-season list. Both marks are the best in the Big 12 Conference and rank No. 12 and No. 9 in the nation, respectively.

This season, Harrison has produced 23 games with three or more steals and added a game-high of eight.

Her efforts have helped the Mountaineers to the second-best scoring defense (58.4) in the conference. Harrison has spearheaded a defensive unit that averaged 11.1 steals and 21.8 turnovers forced per game. The marks are the best in the Big 12 Conference and the 27th and 14th-best marks in the nation this season.

2026 Naismith Women’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Year Finalists:

Lauren Betts – UCLA
Hannah Hidalgo – Notre Dame

Jordan Harrison- West Virginia
Sarah Strong – UCONN

Find more coverage of the WVU women’s basketball program at WV Sports Now.