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With the women's college basketball season enters its final months, many stars could be adding to their trophy cases heading into the spring. That now includes two Longhorns in Madison Booker and Rori Harmon. On Tuesday, the veteran duo was named to the 2026 Naismith Women's College Defensive Player of the Year watch list.
For Harmon, this is a familiar place. She was a semifinalist for the award during the 2024-2025 campaign and now finds herself on the watch list for the fourth time in her career. Since stepping foot on campus, she has been one of the best players in program history. She currently has 340 steals, only six shy of the Longhorns' all-time record.
As Harmon has continued to make history, Booker has been just as impressive. The Germantown High School Alum is averaging 2.6 steals per game. She has also recorded 15 blocked shots this season and is averaging seven rebounds per game, the second-most on the team. Due to her newfound dominance on defense, Booker is in the running for this award for the first time as a Longhorn.
With Booker and Harmon leading the way, Texas boosts one of the best defenses in the country. The Longhorns currently rank fifth in the NCAA and first in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing only 53 points per game. They also lead the SEC in turnovers forced per game at 24.14. That's partly why they're off to a 19-2 start and ranked fourth in the country.
After making it to the Final Four last year, the Longhorns are poised for a deep playoff run. They have held their own against some of the best teams in the country and are not easy to score against. Their ability to shut down some of the nation's top playmakers will be big in March.
If the Longhorns talented duo can build on their success, then they will have more hardware to add to their trophy case. For many in Austin, that would not come as a shock, as both Harmon and Booker impact a game every time they step on the court.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Naismith Defensive Player of Year Watch List has two Lady Longhorns
Continue reading...
For Harmon, this is a familiar place. She was a semifinalist for the award during the 2024-2025 campaign and now finds herself on the watch list for the fourth time in her career. Since stepping foot on campus, she has been one of the best players in program history. She currently has 340 steals, only six shy of the Longhorns' all-time record.
As Harmon has continued to make history, Booker has been just as impressive. The Germantown High School Alum is averaging 2.6 steals per game. She has also recorded 15 blocked shots this season and is averaging seven rebounds per game, the second-most on the team. Due to her newfound dominance on defense, Booker is in the running for this award for the first time as a Longhorn.
With Booker and Harmon leading the way, Texas boosts one of the best defenses in the country. The Longhorns currently rank fifth in the NCAA and first in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing only 53 points per game. They also lead the SEC in turnovers forced per game at 24.14. That's partly why they're off to a 19-2 start and ranked fourth in the country.
After making it to the Final Four last year, the Longhorns are poised for a deep playoff run. They have held their own against some of the best teams in the country and are not easy to score against. Their ability to shut down some of the nation's top playmakers will be big in March.
If the Longhorns talented duo can build on their success, then they will have more hardware to add to their trophy case. For many in Austin, that would not come as a shock, as both Harmon and Booker impact a game every time they step on the court.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Naismith Defensive Player of Year Watch List has two Lady Longhorns
Continue reading...
