Leilani Kapinus Named to Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch ListLeilani Kapinus Named to Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List
Mark Selders/Penn State Athletics

Leilani Kapinus Named to Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List

ATLANTA – Penn State redshirt-sophomore guard Leilani Kapinus has been named to the Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year 2023 Watch List, the organization announced Tuesday. Kapinus is the only Big Ten player selected to the watchlist and one of 15 players overall.
 
Kapinus ranks fourth in the nation in steals (68) and first in the Big Ten, which is 23 more the No. 2 steals conference leader (Sydney Wood of Northwestern). Averaging 3.4 steals per game, sixth nationally, she has ramped up that average to 3.9 against B1G opponents in nine contests. Overall, she has racked up 12 games with at least three steals, including seven contests with 5+: nine against Cornell, seven in the win over Purdue, six versus Fresno State, Rutgers and Minnesota (at home) and five against Minnesota (in Minneapolis) and Wisconsin.
 
In addition to her steals, the guard has recorded 18 blocks, 10th-most in the Big Ten. Again, her block average has increased in conference play with nine so far.
 
The Lady Lions return to action Thursday at 7 p.m. at Rutgers.
 
Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year 2023 Watch List
FULL NAME                 CLASS             POS     SCHOOL
Brea Beal                      Senior              G         South Carolina
Aliyah Boston               Senior              F          South Carolina
Cameron Brink              Junior               F          Stanford
Brooke Flowers             Senior              F/C       St. Louis
Lauren Gustin               Junior               F          BYU
Taiyanna Jackson         Junior               C          Kansas
Leilani Kapinus            Sophomore     G         Penn State
Elizabeth Kitley             Senior              C          Virginia Tech
Rayah Marshall             Sophomore      G/F      USC
Aneesah Morrow           Sophomore      F          DePaul
Ny'Ceara Pryor             Freshman         G         Sacred Heart
Helena Pueyo               Senior              G         Arizona
Angel Reese                 Sophomore      F          LSU
Celeste Taylor               Senior              G         Duke
Dontavia Waggoner       Junior               G         Boston College