<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738796450795.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure><div>Kansas State Athletics
 
MANHATTAN, Kan. &ndash;&nbsp;K-State senior center&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/ayoka-lee/11852" rel="smarttag">Ayoka Lee</a>&nbsp;continues to add to her trophy case, as she has been named to the 2025 Naismith Women&apos;s Defensive Player of the Year Watch List presented by MOLECULE. This is the third time in Lee&apos;s career that she has been named a candidate for this award. This season, Lee is averaging team-highs of 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. She has also registered 0.8 steals per game. This season, the product of Byron, Minnesota, has registered 10 games with two or more blocks. She tied her career-high and tied the school record for blocks in a conference game with eight against Arizona on Jan. 16. Lee also paces the Wildcats this season with 16.0 points on a career-high .654 field goal percentage. In her career, Lee holds the school record and ranks fourth in Big 12 history for career blocks with 351 and owns the school record for career blocks per game at 2.66. She is the first player in program history with 300 or more career blocks and 100 or more career steals. Lee also owns the school record for career games with five or more blocks with 23 and the school record for career games with seven or more blocks with seven. Lee holds the school record and ranks sixth in Big 12 history for points scored with 2,482 and holds the school record for career scoring average at 18.8. She also owns the school records for career rebounds and ranks fifth in Big 12 history with 1,231 and career rebounding average at 9.3. (12/10) K-State returns to Bramlage Coliseum tonight at 6:30 p.m., as the Wildcats host (9/9) TCU. General admission tickets are sold out for the game. Fewer than 2,700 chairback and Cat cushion tickets remain. For tickets, visit kstatesports.com/tickets or call (800) 221-CATS.&nbsp; Tonight&apos;s game is K-State&apos;s annual Play 4 Kay game. The first 3,000 fans will receive a free pink K-State women&apos;s basketball t-shirt courtesy of Ascension Via Christi. The game will air on ESPN+ and will also be available on the K-State Sports Network and the flagship stations of K-State women&apos;s basketball in Manhattan, Sunny 102.5 and 1350 KMAN.</div>

🏀 K-State’s Lee named to Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List