St. John's University Athletics
Lashae Dwyer Named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
3/6/2025 11:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dwyer was also selected for the All-BIG EAST Second Team
NEW YORK– St. John's women's basketball guard Lashae Dwyer was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year and tabbed to the All-BIG EAST Second Team, the conference office announced on Thursday morning.
Dwyer, in her first season with the program, emerged as a lockdown defender and one of the most elite ball hawks in the country, ranking top-10 nationally in steals. The senior becomes just the third player in program history to win the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Award, joining the program's all-time leading scorer Aliyyah Handford (2015-16) and Aaliyah Lewis (2016-17).
Arriving in Queens this summer after three seasons at Miami, Dwyer has started in all 29 games this season, averaging 29.0 minutes per contest. The Toronto native has amassed 88 total steals this year, which leads the BIG EAST by a sizeable margin and ranks 10th in NCAA Division I. The veteran's 88 swipes are tied for third most in the country among high major players, trailing only All-American Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame and West Virginia's Kyah Watson.
The disruptive guard is logging 3.0 swipes per game, which also sits atop the conference and ranks 11th in the country. Dwyer is seeking to become the first BIG EAST player to average over 3.0 steals per game since DePaul's Lexi Held, who averaged 3.1 swipes per contest during the 2020-21 season. She has recorded three or more steals in 18 contests this season, including seven consecutive to close the regular season.
Dwyer's steal numbers this season have planted her in the St. John's Women's Basketball history books. The senior has flown up the leaderboards, tallying the program's highest steal total in 30 years, currently sitting tied for the fifth most in a single-season with 88 to tie with Tawana Jackson (1994-95). She is two swipes shy of surpassing Laura Flowers (1976-77) to move into sole possession of fourth all-time.
The high-energy guard has tallied five or more steals five times during the 2024-25 campaign, including a season-high seven-swipe performance to go along with 25 points in a road victory at Penn State on Dec. 2.
Dwyer has been a proven catalyst for a Red Storm defensive unit that ranks 25th in scoring defense, allowing opponents to just 56.3 points per game. The Johnnies have held 18 opponents to 60 points or less this season and four to fewer than 40. Standing at 5-foot-6, Dwyer has also made an impact on the glass, ranking second on the team logging 4.2 rebounds per game. She has tallied a pair of double-double performances against Marist (Nov. 21) and at Providence (Jan. 1).
Dwyer lands on the All-BIG EAST Second Team to become the 20th all-league selection under Head Coach Joe Tartamella. The Toronto native leads the team offensively, averaging 13.6 points per game on 42.4 percent shooting from the field. The Miami transfer has registered 23 double-figure scoring performances and eclipsed the 20-point threshold in three games this season.
Dwyer and the eighth-seeded Red Storm will open the 2025 BIG EAST Women's Basketball Tournament at Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday morning when it faces Butler at 11 a.m.
2024-25 BIG EAST Awards:
BIG EAST Player of the Year: Paige Bueckers, UConn, R-Sr., G
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year: Sarah Strong, UConn, Fr., F
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year: Lashae Dwyer, St. John's, Sr., G
BIG EAST Most Improved Player: Jorie Allen, DePaul, Gr., F
BIG EAST Co-Sportsmanship Award: Molly Mogensen, Creighton, Gr., G / Kelsey Ransom, Georgetown, Gr., G
BIG EAST Sixth Woman of the Year: Ashlynn Shade, UConn, So., G
BIG EAST Co-Coaches of the Year: Geno Auriemma, UConn / Cara Consuegra, Marquette
BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Jorie Allen, DePaul, Gr., F
First Team*
Paige Bueckers, UConn, R-Sr., G^
Azzi Fudd, UConn, Gr., G
Sarah Strong, UConn, Fr., F^
Lauren Jensen, Creighton, Sr., G^
Morgan Maly, Creighton, Sr., G/F^
Jorie Allen, DePaul, Gr., F
Kelsey Ransom, Georgetown, Gr., G
Skylar Forbes, Marquette, So., F
Jada Eads, Seton Hall, Fr., G
Faith Masonius, Seton Hall, Gr., F
Jasmine Bascoe, Villanova, Fr., G
Second Team
Kilyn McGuff, Butler, Sr., G
Lee Volker, Marquette, Sr., G
Grace Efosa, Providence, Gr., G
Lashae Dwyer, St. John's, Sr., G
Maddie Webber, Villanova, So., G
Honorable Mention
Molly Mogensen, Creighton, Gr., G
Taylor Johnson-Matthews, DePaul, Jr., G
Ariel Jenkins, Georgetown, Sr., C
Olivia Olsen, Providence, Sr., F
All-Freshman Team
Sarah Strong, UConn, Fr., F^
Khadee Hession, Georgetown, Fr., G
Jada Eads, Seton Hall, Fr., G^
Jasmine Bascoe, Villanova, Fr., G^
Meri Kanerva, Xavier, Fr., G
* Due to a tie in voting, there are 11 players on the first team.
^ unanimous selection
Dwyer, in her first season with the program, emerged as a lockdown defender and one of the most elite ball hawks in the country, ranking top-10 nationally in steals. The senior becomes just the third player in program history to win the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Award, joining the program's all-time leading scorer Aliyyah Handford (2015-16) and Aaliyah Lewis (2016-17).
Arriving in Queens this summer after three seasons at Miami, Dwyer has started in all 29 games this season, averaging 29.0 minutes per contest. The Toronto native has amassed 88 total steals this year, which leads the BIG EAST by a sizeable margin and ranks 10th in NCAA Division I. The veteran's 88 swipes are tied for third most in the country among high major players, trailing only All-American Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame and West Virginia's Kyah Watson.
The disruptive guard is logging 3.0 swipes per game, which also sits atop the conference and ranks 11th in the country. Dwyer is seeking to become the first BIG EAST player to average over 3.0 steals per game since DePaul's Lexi Held, who averaged 3.1 swipes per contest during the 2020-21 season. She has recorded three or more steals in 18 contests this season, including seven consecutive to close the regular season.
Dwyer's steal numbers this season have planted her in the St. John's Women's Basketball history books. The senior has flown up the leaderboards, tallying the program's highest steal total in 30 years, currently sitting tied for the fifth most in a single-season with 88 to tie with Tawana Jackson (1994-95). She is two swipes shy of surpassing Laura Flowers (1976-77) to move into sole possession of fourth all-time.
The high-energy guard has tallied five or more steals five times during the 2024-25 campaign, including a season-high seven-swipe performance to go along with 25 points in a road victory at Penn State on Dec. 2.
Dwyer has been a proven catalyst for a Red Storm defensive unit that ranks 25th in scoring defense, allowing opponents to just 56.3 points per game. The Johnnies have held 18 opponents to 60 points or less this season and four to fewer than 40. Standing at 5-foot-6, Dwyer has also made an impact on the glass, ranking second on the team logging 4.2 rebounds per game. She has tallied a pair of double-double performances against Marist (Nov. 21) and at Providence (Jan. 1).
Dwyer lands on the All-BIG EAST Second Team to become the 20th all-league selection under Head Coach Joe Tartamella. The Toronto native leads the team offensively, averaging 13.6 points per game on 42.4 percent shooting from the field. The Miami transfer has registered 23 double-figure scoring performances and eclipsed the 20-point threshold in three games this season.
Dwyer and the eighth-seeded Red Storm will open the 2025 BIG EAST Women's Basketball Tournament at Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday morning when it faces Butler at 11 a.m.
2024-25 BIG EAST Awards:
BIG EAST Player of the Year: Paige Bueckers, UConn, R-Sr., G
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year: Sarah Strong, UConn, Fr., F
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year: Lashae Dwyer, St. John's, Sr., G
BIG EAST Most Improved Player: Jorie Allen, DePaul, Gr., F
BIG EAST Co-Sportsmanship Award: Molly Mogensen, Creighton, Gr., G / Kelsey Ransom, Georgetown, Gr., G
BIG EAST Sixth Woman of the Year: Ashlynn Shade, UConn, So., G
BIG EAST Co-Coaches of the Year: Geno Auriemma, UConn / Cara Consuegra, Marquette
BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Jorie Allen, DePaul, Gr., F
First Team*
Paige Bueckers, UConn, R-Sr., G^
Azzi Fudd, UConn, Gr., G
Sarah Strong, UConn, Fr., F^
Lauren Jensen, Creighton, Sr., G^
Morgan Maly, Creighton, Sr., G/F^
Jorie Allen, DePaul, Gr., F
Kelsey Ransom, Georgetown, Gr., G
Skylar Forbes, Marquette, So., F
Jada Eads, Seton Hall, Fr., G
Faith Masonius, Seton Hall, Gr., F
Jasmine Bascoe, Villanova, Fr., G
Second Team
Kilyn McGuff, Butler, Sr., G
Lee Volker, Marquette, Sr., G
Grace Efosa, Providence, Gr., G
Lashae Dwyer, St. John's, Sr., G
Maddie Webber, Villanova, So., G
Honorable Mention
Molly Mogensen, Creighton, Gr., G
Taylor Johnson-Matthews, DePaul, Jr., G
Ariel Jenkins, Georgetown, Sr., C
Olivia Olsen, Providence, Sr., F
All-Freshman Team
Sarah Strong, UConn, Fr., F^
Khadee Hession, Georgetown, Fr., G
Jada Eads, Seton Hall, Fr., G^
Jasmine Bascoe, Villanova, Fr., G^
Meri Kanerva, Xavier, Fr., G
* Due to a tie in voting, there are 11 players on the first team.
^ unanimous selection
Players Mentioned
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