MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State senior center Ayoka Lee has continued to garner accolades for her efforts on the floor this season, as the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced the John R. Wooden Award presented by Principal Midseason Top 25 Watch List with Lee as one of the 25 to receive the distinction this evening.
Lee is a four-time candidate for the John R. Wooden Award, as she was a preseason watch list selection in 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025 seasons. She was named to the Midseason Top-25 in 2022, 2024 and 2025 and has been named to the national ballot in 2022 and 2024.
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2025 John R. Wooden Award Women’s Player of the Year presented by Principal. Players not chosen to the preseason or midseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award™ National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award.
Voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team™ will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round of the NCAA Tournament.
The winners and the All-Americans of the 2025 John R. Wooden Award will be presented by Principal, will be honored at the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Friday, April 11, 2025.
Lee, a 2024-25 Preseason All-America selection by The Athletic and Associated Press, has had a strong start to the 2024-25 season, as she is averaging 17.3 points on a career-best .669 field goal percentage, 6.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots. She ranks fifth in the nation and leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage. Lee is third in the Big 12 in blocks per game and seventh in scoring average.
In her career, Lee holds the school records for career points (2,436) career rebounds (1,211) and career blocks (340). She is just one of three players in Big 12 history to register 2,000 or more points, 1,000 or more rebounds and 300 or more career blocks.
Lee is also a candidate for the 2025 Women’s Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy and the Lisa Leslie Award, given to the nation’s top center.
(12/10) K-State makes a two-game swing through the Beehive State, as the Wildcats face Utah on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. (CT).
Wednesday’s game will air on ESPN+ and will also be available on the K-State Sports Network and the flagship stations of K-State women’s basketball in Manhattan, Sunny 102.5 and 1350 KMAN.
Wooden Award Presented by Wendy’s 2024-25 Midseason Top 25
Georgia Amoore, Kentucky
Raegan Beers, Oklahoma
Lauren Betts, UCLA
Madison Booker, Texas
Paige Bueckers, UConn
Audi Crooks, Iowa State
Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Kiki Iriafen, USC
Aziaha James, NC State
Flau’jae Johnson, LSU
Ta’Niya Latson, Florida State
Ayoka Lee, Kansas State
Cotie McMahon, Ohio State
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame
Aneesah Morrow, LSU
Lucy Olsen, Iowa
Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina
Khamil Pierre, Vanderbilt
Sedona Prince, TCU
JJ Quinerly, West Virginia
Sarah Strong, UConn
Harmoni Turner, Harvard
Hailey Van Lith, TCU