Full Watch List
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue women's basketball junior Ae'Rianna Harris was named to the midseason list of players to watch for the 2019 Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year Award presented by Bona. Harris is currently second in the NCAA with 68 blocked shots, while her 3.24 rejections per game rank fourth in the nation.
Of the 15 players named to the national list, including 2018 honoree Teaira McCowan of Mississippi State, Harris is one of two juniors and one of three underclassmen. Joining her from the Big Ten Conference is Minnesota senior Kenisha Bell, Iowa senior Megan Gustafson and Maryland freshman Shakira Austin.
Harris is in the midst of rewriting the Purdue record books for blocked shots, already ranked second in school history and 13th all-time in the Big Ten with 248 career rejections. Her sophomore total of 105 is second all-time at Purdue and No. 13 in conference history, while her freshman mark of 75 ranks fourth on the Boilermakers' record list.
The 2018 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Harris is one of three sophomores in conference history to earn the honor and the third Boilermaker to earn the Big Ten defensive crown. She was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team and was a second-team all-conference honoree in 2018.
In addition to her 3.24 blocks per game, Harris also is averaging career-high marks of 13.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, good for 14th and fifth, respectively, in the Big Ten.
Harris and the Boilermakers continue play Sunday, heading to No. 17 Iowa for a 3 p.m. ET tip at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue women's basketball junior Ae'Rianna Harris was named to the midseason list of players to watch for the 2019 Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year Award presented by Bona. Harris is currently second in the NCAA with 68 blocked shots, while her 3.24 rejections per game rank fourth in the nation.
Of the 15 players named to the national list, including 2018 honoree Teaira McCowan of Mississippi State, Harris is one of two juniors and one of three underclassmen. Joining her from the Big Ten Conference is Minnesota senior Kenisha Bell, Iowa senior Megan Gustafson and Maryland freshman Shakira Austin.
Harris is in the midst of rewriting the Purdue record books for blocked shots, already ranked second in school history and 13th all-time in the Big Ten with 248 career rejections. Her sophomore total of 105 is second all-time at Purdue and No. 13 in conference history, while her freshman mark of 75 ranks fourth on the Boilermakers' record list.
The 2018 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Harris is one of three sophomores in conference history to earn the honor and the third Boilermaker to earn the Big Ten defensive crown. She was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team and was a second-team all-conference honoree in 2018.
In addition to her 3.24 blocks per game, Harris also is averaging career-high marks of 13.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, good for 14th and fifth, respectively, in the Big Ten.
Harris and the Boilermakers continue play Sunday, heading to No. 17 Iowa for a 3 p.m. ET tip at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.