Cardoso on Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s basketball senior Kamilla Cardoso is among the 15 entries on the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List presented by AXIA Time.

Cardoso is the tip of the spear on the nation’s 11th-ranked defense as the Gamecocks allow just 54.3 points per game. The senior center blocks 2.9 shots per game to rank sixth in the nation. Her efforts have helped South Carolina lead the country in field goal percentage defense (.310) and hold opponents to just 37.1 percent shooting in the paint. Cardoso’s 9.8 rebounds per game are ranked 31st in the nation and include 6.8 per game on the defensive end, which ranks third in the SEC.

The current watch list of 15 players will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists on Mar. 11 with four finalists announced on Mar. 20 and the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year will be announced on Apr. 3.

No. 1/1 South Carolina is back in action on Thu., Feb. 9, hosting SEC rival Missouri at 7 p.m. ET at Colonial Life Arena.

Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for the most up-to-date information on South Carolina women’s basketball.

2024 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List
Cameron Brink, Stanford
Jordyn Cambridge, Vanderbilt
Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina
Lucy Cochrane, Portland
Lauren Gustin, BYU
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Taiyanna Jackson, Kansas
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech
Ayoka Lee, Kansas State
Rayah Marshall, Southern Cal
Aneesah Morrow, LSU
JJ Quinerly, West Virginia
Angel Reese, LSU
Celeste Taylor, Ohio State
Serah Williams, Wisconsin