Kymora Johnson Named to Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year Watch List
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Naismith Awards announced today (Oct. 30) the 2025-26 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Watch List Presented by AXIA Time. Virginia point guard Kymora Johnson was named on the list of 50 players.
Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, the creator of the game of basketball, the Naismith Trophy has become one of the most prestigious national honors awarded each year to top basketball players in the nation. The Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Award was first given to Anne Donovan of Old Dominion University in 1983. Dawn Staley remains the only Cavalier to win the award doing so in 1991 and 1992.
Johnson is coming off a sophomore season in which she earned All-ACC first team honors as well as a WBCA All-America honorable mention. Last season, she led the Cavaliers in scoring averaging 17.9 points per game and reached a pair of major statistical milestones along the way. She recorded the first triple-double of her career (20 pts, 11 reb, 11 ast) at Pitt, joining Dawn Staley as the only Cavaliers to accomplish the feat and marking just the third triple-double in program history. Later in the season, she became the 37th member of UVA’s 1,000-point club after a 33-point performance in a win over Stanford.
Johnson led the ACC averaging 6.5 assists in league games last season. She also led the league in free throw percentage (91.4) and ranked sixth in steals per game (2.17) in ACC play.
Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Watch List
Presented by AXIA Time
Nunu Agara, Stanford
Raegan Beers, Oklahoma
Lauren Betts, UCLA
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Madison Booker, Texas
Zoe Brooks, NC State
Addy Brown, Iowa State
Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State
Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma
Talaysia Cooper, Tennessee
Audi Crooks, Iowa State
Jazzy Davidson, USC
Maggie Doogan, Richmond
Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
Skylar Forbes, Marquette
Toby Fournier, Duke
Azzi Fudd, UConn
MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU
Yarden Garzon, Maryland
Delaney Gibb, BYU
Rori Harmon, Texas
Stailee Heard, Oklahoma State
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Ashlon Jackson, Duke
Flau’Jae Johnson, LSU
Raven Johnson, South Carolina
Kymora Johnson, Virginia
Reniya Kelly, North Carolina
Gianna Kneepkens, UCLA
Ta’Niya Latson, South Carolina
Charlisse Leger-Walker, UCLA
Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, Baylor
Cotie McMahon, Ole Miss
Olivia Miles, TCU
S’Mya Nichols, Kansas
Olivia Olson, Michigan
Khamil Pierre, NC State
Kiki Rice, UCLA
Tajianna Roberts, Louisville
Kaylene Smikle, Maryland
Kennedy Smith, USC
Clara Strack, Kentucky
Sarah Strong, UConn
Hannah Stuelke, Iowa
Syla Swords, Michigan
Grace VanSlooten, Michigan State
Payton Verhulst, Oklahoma
Mikaylah Williams, LSU
Serah Williams, UConn
Laura Ziegler, Louisville