MANHATTAN, Kan. – The K-State women’s basketball duo of Ayoka Lee and Serena Sundell have garnered national attention entering the 2024-25 season, as the pair have been named to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year Watch List, presented by Axia Time.
This is the second straight season the Wildcats had a pair of players on the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Women’s Player of the Year watch list, as Lee was joined by Gabby Gregory on the 2023-24 list. This is the first time Sundell has been a preseason candidate for the award, while Lee was named for the fourth time in her career.
Lee adds Monday’s recognition to her preseason Associated Press All-America honorable mention from last week and being named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year by the league’s coaches and her unanimous selection to the preseason All-Big 12 team.
During the 2023-24 season, Lee was a Second Team All-America selection by The Athletic, a Third Team All-America honoree by The Sporting News, an honorable mention Associated Press All-American, an honorable mention WBCA All-American, a 2024 John R. Wooden Award National Ballot top-15 candidate, an All-Big 12 First Team selection, a Big 12 All-Defensive Team member and Big 12 All-Tournament Team recipient.
Lee, a four-time All-Big 12 First Team selection, averaged 19.7 points on a .619 field goal percentage, 8.6 rebounds and 2.78 blocked shots last season. She was the first player in program history with two or more seasons of 500 or more points, 200 or more rebounds and 75 or more blocks. Her 75 blocks were the sixth-most in program history and was her third career season with 75 or more blocked shots.
She ranked sixth in the nation and paced the Big 12 in field goal percentage. Lee was third in the Big 12 in scoring average, second in the league and ninth in the nation for blocks per game and third in the Big 12 for rebounding average.
Lee recorded 14 games last season with 20 or more points including her second career 20-20 double-double with 24 points, 21 rebounds and five blocked shots against Oral Roberts.
In the 2023-24 season, Lee led the Big 12’s top defense with 21 games of two or more blocked shots including a season-high seven at UCF on Jan. 6 and at Iowa State on Feb. 14.
In her career, Lee ranks third in school history for points scored with 2,194, holds the school record for career scoring average at 19.2, owns the school record for career rebounds with 1,118, holds the school record for career rebounding average at 9.8, the school record holder for career blocks with 310 and blocks per game at 2.72 and owns the school record for career double-doubles with 60. She is the first player in program history with 300 or more career blocks and 100 or more career steals.
Sundell, a guard from Maryville, Missouri, adds Monday’s honor to her selection to the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List – given to the nation’s top point guard. She was also selected to the preseason All-Big 12 team.
Sundell, a 2023-24 All-Big 12 First Team selection, was second on the team in scoring in 2023-24 with 12.1 points per game on a career-best .536 field goal percentage. She led the Big 12 for total assists (189) and assists per game (5.6 apg). The All-American candidate was second for Big 12-only games with 5.7 assists per game, she ranked fourth in league-only games for field goal percentage (.539) and was 12th in conference play for scoring (13.82 ppg).
With her points (411) and assists (189) totals last season, Sundell was the first player in program history and the third Big 12 player since at least 2009-10 to record three seasons with 350 or more points and 150 or more assists.
In her career, Sundell is fourth in school history for career assists with 549 and is second in program history for career assists per game (5.3 apg). She ranks 22nd on the K-State career scoring list with 1,263 points. She is the only player in school history with 1,000 or more career points, 500 or more career assists and 50 or more career blocked shots.
K-State women’s basketball season tickets are available now. Prices start at just $75 with a Wildcat 4-Pack to see every game in Bramlage. Order now by visiting kstatesports.com/tickets or calling 1-800-221-CATS.
K-State, ranked 13th in the preseason Associated Press and USA Today/WBCA Coaches polls, is in action on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. The Wildcats host Washburn in exhibition action. For tickets, visit kstatesports.com/tickets or call (800) 221-CATS.