Ole Miss’ Talaysia Cooper named to Ann Meyers Drysdale watch list

Ole Miss senior Talaysia Cooper is one of 20 players named to the preseason watch list for the 2027 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced Tuesday.

The award recognizes the top shooting guard in NCAA Division I women’s basketball. Cooper is on the list for the third time and was a top 10 finalist in 2024-25. Ole Miss has had at least one player named to a preseason Naismith award watch list in each of the past seven years, the school said.

Cooper led Tennessee last season in scoring at 16.0 points per game, assists at 3.6 per game, steals at 2.7 per game and 3-pointers with 61. She earned All-SEC second-team honors in each of the past two seasons and was named to the 2025 SEC All-Defensive Team.

Cooper also made the preseason All-SEC first team in voting by conference coaches and the second team in the media poll. The award’s 20-player watch list is scheduled to be reduced to 10 in February and five in March. Finalists will be submitted to Ann Meyers Drysdale and the Hall of Fame’s selection committees later in March.

Ole Miss is scheduled to host Lane College in its only exhibition game Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 6 p.m. CT at the SJB Pavilion. Admission is free, according to the school.

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