Kansas State University Athletics
Lee Named to Wooden Award Preseason Watch List
Dec 01, 2020 | Women's Basketball
MANHATTAN, Kansas – Kansas State sophomore center Ayoka Lee collected her fourth national preseason honor as she was one of 30 players named to the 2021 John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy's Women's Preseason Top 30 Watch List.
Lee, a 2021 All-America candidate, has started her sophomore season with a scoring average of 17.0 points on a .533 field goal percentage, 9.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks. She needs just five blocked shots to become the eighth player in program history to reach 100 career blocks.
In October, Lee was a unanimous selection to the 2020-21 Preseason All-Big 12 Team and has been named to the watch lists for the Naismith Trophy, Wade Trophy and the Lisa Leslie Award.
As the 2020 Big 12 Freshman of the Year and a 2020 All-Big 12 First Team selection, Lee ranked ninth among freshmen in the nation and led all Big 12 freshmen in scoring with 15.7 points per game in 2019-20. She ranked second in the nation among freshmen and led the league's freshmen in rebounding at 11.4 per game. She also led all freshmen in the nation in blocks at 3.1 per game.
Lee, who was named the number two freshman in the nation during the 2019-20 season according to ESPN.com, ranked among the top-12 in the Big 12 in nine statistical categories and was tied for the league lead in double-doubles with 19. She was second in the league for all classes and fourth in the nation among freshmen in field goal percentage at .568
Lee was the first freshman in program history to complete a conference season with a double-double as she averaged 15.8 points and 11.7 rebounds.
She was the first freshman in program history with the combination of 400 or more points, 300 or more rebounds and 90 or more blocks. Lee established 13 Big 12 or K-State single-season school records including: rebounds by a freshman (331), blocks by a freshman (91) and double-doubles for all-classes (19).
The 2021 John R. Wooden Award Women's Player of the Year presented by Wendy's will be trimmed to a National Ballot which 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 winner of the 2021 John R. Wooden Award will be presented by Wendy's following the NCAA Tournament in April.
K-State continues its seven-game home stand on Thursday night, as the Wildcats host (11/12) Kentucky in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge at 6:30 p.m. Thursday's game will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and available on the K-State Sports Network.
Lee, a 2021 All-America candidate, has started her sophomore season with a scoring average of 17.0 points on a .533 field goal percentage, 9.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks. She needs just five blocked shots to become the eighth player in program history to reach 100 career blocks.
In October, Lee was a unanimous selection to the 2020-21 Preseason All-Big 12 Team and has been named to the watch lists for the Naismith Trophy, Wade Trophy and the Lisa Leslie Award.
As the 2020 Big 12 Freshman of the Year and a 2020 All-Big 12 First Team selection, Lee ranked ninth among freshmen in the nation and led all Big 12 freshmen in scoring with 15.7 points per game in 2019-20. She ranked second in the nation among freshmen and led the league's freshmen in rebounding at 11.4 per game. She also led all freshmen in the nation in blocks at 3.1 per game.
Lee, who was named the number two freshman in the nation during the 2019-20 season according to ESPN.com, ranked among the top-12 in the Big 12 in nine statistical categories and was tied for the league lead in double-doubles with 19. She was second in the league for all classes and fourth in the nation among freshmen in field goal percentage at .568
Lee was the first freshman in program history to complete a conference season with a double-double as she averaged 15.8 points and 11.7 rebounds.
She was the first freshman in program history with the combination of 400 or more points, 300 or more rebounds and 90 or more blocks. Lee established 13 Big 12 or K-State single-season school records including: rebounds by a freshman (331), blocks by a freshman (91) and double-doubles for all-classes (19).
The 2021 John R. Wooden Award Women's Player of the Year presented by Wendy's will be trimmed to a National Ballot which 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 winner of the 2021 John R. Wooden Award will be presented by Wendy's following the NCAA Tournament in April.
K-State continues its seven-game home stand on Thursday night, as the Wildcats host (11/12) Kentucky in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge at 6:30 p.m. Thursday's game will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and available on the K-State Sports Network.
K-State Women's Basketball | 2025 Big 12 Conference Media Day ESPNU Interviews
Tuesday, October 21
K-State Women's Basketball | 2025 Big 12 Conference Media Day Press Conference
Tuesday, October 21
K-State WBB | Head Coach Jeff Mittie Press Conference - Oct. 14
Tuesday, October 14
K-State WBB | Team Hally Dirty Dash Recap
Tuesday, October 07