Kentucky’s Rhyne Howard enters rare territory as two-time SEC Player of the Year
Rhyne Howard joined a pair of short and distinguished lists when she was voted Southeastern Conference Player of the Year by the league’s coaches for the second year in a row on Tuesday.
The University of Kentucky junior guard became only the second Wildcat to twice earn league player of the year honors and just the third player in SEC history to claim the award twice before her senior season.
Howard also became only the third UK player ever to earn All-SEC First Team honors from the coaches three times.
Howard was joined on the First Team by Shakira Austin of Ole Miss, Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke of South Carolina, Rennia Davis of Tennessee, Chelsea Dungee of Arkansas, N’dea Jones of Texas A&M, Khayla Pointer of LSU and Jasmine Walker of Alabama.
One other Wildcat earned recognition from the SEC’s coaches Tuesday when senior guard Chasity Patterson was named to the All-Defensive Team. She was accompanied by Boston, Pointer, Georgia’s Que Morrison and Tennessee’s Tamari Key.
Howard is the only Power Five conference player averaging over 19 points and 7.5 rebounds per game with at least 40 steals and 70 assists. She is the only player in the SEC leading her team in scoring, rebounding and assists, averaging 19.8 points and 7.5 rebounds with 73 assists. She ranks second on the team with 44 steals and third with 16 blocks.
Howard joined former UK All-American A’dia Mathies in twice being named SEC Player of the Year by the coaches. Only South Carolina’s Tiffany Mitchell and A’ja Wilson previously won the award twice before their senior seasons. Other Wildcats to previously be named to the First Team three times were Makayla Epps and Leslie Nichols.
Howard’s honor gives Kentucky five SEC Player of the Year honors since 2010, tied for the most in the league during that stretch with South Carolina. In addition to the two each for Mathies and Howard, Victoria Dunlap was honored.
For her career, Howard has scored 1,553 points, good for 10th place in UK history. She needs 10 more to tie Sara Potts for ninth.
Howard leads the 17th-ranked Wildcats into SEC Tournament play in Greenville, S.C., on Thursday afternoon. The fifth-seeded Wildcats will take on the winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 12 Florida and No. 13 Auburn.
Patterson, who last season was named the SEC’s Sixth Woman of the Year, secured her spot on the All-Defensive Team this year by ranking in the top five nationally with 70 steals.
Patterson has started all 23 games, averaging 13.2 points on 48.5% shooting from the field. She is hitting 37.5 percent from three-point range and has 62 assists.
Georgia’s Joni Taylor was named SEC Coach of the Year. Madison Scott of Ole Miss was Freshman of the Year. Georgia’s Morrison and South Carolina’s Boston were Co-Defensive Players of the Year. Destiny Pitts and Ciera Johnson of Texas A&M swept Sixth Woman of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year, respectively.
The All-SEC Second Team included Aijha Blackwell of Missouri, Lavender Briggs of Florida, Rae Burrell of Tennessee, Jordan Lewis of Alabama, Destiny Slocum of Arkansas, Jenna Staiti of Georgia, Unique Thompson of Auburn and Aaliyah Wilson of Texas A&M.
The All-Freshman Team was Sarah Ashlee Barker of Georgia, Snudda Collins and Scott of Ole Miss, Mama Dembele of Missouri, Madison Hayes of Mississippi State, Romi Levy of Auburn, Jordyn Merritt of Florida and Marta Suarez of Tennessee.
Naismith Award update
Kentucky’s Howard was also named one of 11 semifinalists Tuesday for the Naismith Trophy Women’s National Player of the Year award. Finalists will be announced March 19 with the winner being revealed April 3. Howard was a finalist for the award last season.
Louisville senior Dana Evans, who Tuesday was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, joined Howard among the 11 Naismith semifinalists.
Other seniors named were Arizona’s Aari McDonald and UCLA’s Michaela Onyenwere. Joining Howard as juniors were Texas’ Charli Collier, North Carolina State’s Elissa Cunane, Michigan’s Naz Hillmon and Baylor’s NaLyssa Smith.
South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston was the only sophomore honored. Two freshmen, UConn’s Paige Bueckers and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, made the list.
This story was originally published March 2, 2021 at 1:10 PM.