Ohio State Star Celeste Taylor Named Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist

Ohio State Buckeyes star Celeste Taylor has been the star of the defense all season.

Despite a tough last week, the Buckeyes continue to represent in awards.

Graduate guard Celeste Taylor was named a Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist Monday after yet another stellar season on that end.

Taylor was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year March 5 after leading the league in steals and helping Ohio State to the best defense by turnover margin in the conference. According to Her Hoop Stats, Taylor finished 15th in steals per game among 597 qualifying players in Power 5 schools (played at least 23 games).

This comes a season after claiming the award for Duke in the Atlantic Coastal Conference.

Taylor, along with co-graduate guard Jacy Sheldon, led the backcourt in a great third quarter defense, consisting of a dangerous full-court press and blitz trap.

The Valley Stream, New York, native finished in the top 12 percent among Power 5 schools in both defensive rating and defensive win shares in the Big Ten, according to Her Hoop Stats.

Taylor was the only Big Ten player recognized as a semifinalist but joined nine other players, including four other Defensive Players of the Year in their conference: Stanford senior Cameron Brink, South Carolina senior Kamilla Cardoso, West Virginia junior JJ Quinerly and Notre Dame freshman Hannah Hidalgo.

Out of the semifinalists, only Hidalgo's 4.6 steals per game were more than Taylor.

If Taylor won the award, she would be the first Buckeye and Big Ten player to win Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, an honor only recognized in 2018.

Perhaps Taylor won't be focused on this award with Selection Sunday coming up and the Buckeyes on two-game losing streak, but contending for a national award like this is no small feat.