LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky women’s basketball All-American guard Rhyne Howard and freshman guard Jada Walker have been named All-Southeastern Conference performers as voted by league coaches for their incredible seasons on the hardwood, the league office announced Tuesday.
Howard was named to the All-SEC First Team for the fourth straight season, becoming the second player in the last 14 years to earn four first-team honors from the league. South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson accomplished the feat from 20015-2018 and at that time was the first player to do that since Georgia’s Tasha Humphrey (2005-08). Howard is the only player in Kentucky women’s basketball history to accomplish the feat and is the fourth in UK men’s and women’s history combined, joining Jack Tingle (1944-47), Wah Wah Jones (1946-49) and Ralph Beard (1946-49). On top of the four All-SEC First-Team honors, she will end her career a two-time SEC Player of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year and a one-time SEC All-Freshman and SEC All-Defensive Team honoree.
This is the first All-SEC honor for Walker as she becomes the first UK player since Blair Green and Howard in 2019 to earn freshman team honors. She is the 18th player in program history to earn SEC All-Freshman Team honors.
So far this season, Howard is leading Kentucky by averaging 20.4 points per game, earning 7.7 rebounds per game with 85 assists, 67 steals, 34 blocks and a team best 58 3-pointers. Howard ranks high nationally in several categories, including 16th nationally in points per game and 29th nationally in steals per game. Howard ranks first in the Southeastern Conference in points per game, while she is third in steals per game, third in field-goals made and fifth in free-throw percentage.
Kentucky celebrated Rhyne Howard Day on Sunday vs. Auburn as the senior guard played her final game inside Memorial Coliseum and went out in style. Howard scored 32 points in the game, which is the most points ever by a Kentucky senior on Senior Day and earned SEC Player of the Week honors in the process. The performance moved Howard into the top-25 all-time in scoring in the SEC, currently placing 24th with 2,185 points. Howard hit eight 3s in the game, which was a new school record for 3s made in a game.
Howard's career is already one of the best in program history. In 109 career games, Howard has hit at least one 3 in 94 games, posted 10 or more points in 97 career games, 15+ in 81 games, 20+ in 59 games, 25+ in 32 games and 30+ nine eight games. The guard has led UK in scoring in 70 career games, in rebounding in 59 career games, in assists in 39 career games, in steals in 48 games and blocks in 43 career games. She has 27 career double-doubles and one triple-double.
For her career, Howard has scored 2,185 career points sitting second in UK history in points scored. Against Vanderbilt, Howard scored her 2,000 career points, becoming just the third Wildcat in school history – both men's and women's – to record 2,000 or more points in 100 games or less. She joined Hall of Famers Dan Issel and Valerie Still in that category. Howard ranks second in school history in career scoring average at 20.0, while she is tied for second in field-goals made with 757, first in career 3s made with 272 and third in career 3-point field-goal percentage at 37.9. She is also fourth in UK history in steals per game at 2.367.
Walker has been a star this season, playing in all 26 games with 17 starts, averaging 27 minutes per game. She has impacted games on both ends of the floor, scoring 10 or more points in 14 games, while her on-ball defense has helped the Wildcats tremendously. Walker is averaging 10.4 points per game this season, hitting 42 percent from the field and 37 percent from long range. She has hit a 3 in 16 games, including three or more in four games. Walker ranks third on the team this season in assists with 51 and is second in steals with 37.
Walker earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors last week after helping Kentucky earn a historic comeback against Mississippi State, scoring 17 points with five rebounds and one steal. The rookie was a perfect 3-for-3 from long range against the Bulldogs and was 6-of-11 from the field overall. She followed that with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals against Vanderbilt. Again she was on target from long range, hitting three 3-pointers. It marked the first time all season she has hit three 3s in consecutive games. In Kentucky’s impressive win at Arkansas, Walker scored seven points with three rebounds, two steals and one assist. She hit a 3 against the Razorbacks and was 3-for-4 overall from the field. Her 3-point shooting on the week helped Kentucky hit seven or more 3s as a team in each of its last three games for the first time this season in league play.
Walker’s best games have come against some of the best teams as she scored 16 points with two steals at top-10 ranked Indiana and followed that with 13 points, four rebounds and a steal against West Virginia. The guard was impressive against DePaul, scoring 19 points with two steals, while she had 15 points and hit three 3s against top-20 ranked Georgia. Her season-high performance came at top-15 ranked LSU, scoring 21 points, going 4-of-5 from 3 and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line with three assists and two steals.
The native of Richmond, Virginia, is on pace to put her name all over the Kentucky freshman season records page. Walker is within striking distance of ranking top 10 on UK’s freshman season records in points, points per game, field goals made, field goals attempted, steals, assists and double-figure scoring games. Her 29 3s already ranks 10th most by a freshman in school history, needing just 14 more to move into the top five.
2022 SEC Basketball Awards
First Team All-SEC
Kiara Smith, Florida
Jenna Staiti, Georgia
Rhyne Howard, Kentucky
Khayla Pointer, LSU
Shakira Austin, Ole Miss
Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Destanni Henderson, South Carolina
Jordan Horston, Tennessee
Second Team All-SEC
Brittany Davis, Alabama
Amber Ramirez, Arkansas
Aicha Coulibaly, Auburn
Que Morrison, Georgia
Alexis Morris, LSU
Anastasia Hayes, Mississippi State
Aijha Blackwell, Missouri
Hayley Frank, Missouri
Zia Cooke, South Carolina
Tamari Key, Tennessee
All-Freshman Team
Samara Spencer, Arkansas
Jersey Wolfenbarger, Arkansas
Alberte Rimdal, Florida
Jada Walker, Kentucky
Denae Carter, Mississippi State
Sara Puckett, Tennessee
Sacha Washington, Vanderbilt
Iyana Moore, Vanderbilt
All-Defensive Team
Kiara Smith, Florida
Que Morrison, Georgia
Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Tamari Key, Tennessee
Jordyn Cambridge, Vanderbilt
Player of the Year – Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Freshman of the Year – Samara Spencer, Arkansas
Defensive Player of the Year – Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
6th Woman of the Year – Angel Baker, Ole Miss
Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Mikayla Coombs, Georgia
Coach of the Year – Dawn Staley, South Carolina
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