Kennedy Cambridge Tabbed Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist
3/19/2026 11:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Cambridge owns 128 steals this season, ranking second in Big Ten history since the 1981-82 season.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced the 2026 Naismith Women's College Defensive Player of the Year semifinalists on Thursday. Redshirt junior Kennedy Cambridge was one of 10 players named to the list and one of two players from the Big Ten.
Â
K. Cambridge was named to the watch list and late season team for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year in addition to earning a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team by both the coaches and media. She has consistently led the Big Ten and stayed among the top five in the nation with 3.9 steals per game this season. She averages 1.5 steals per game more than any other player in the Big Ten this season.
Â
K. Cambridge owns the single season program record with 128 – a total that ranks second in Big Ten history since the 1981-82 season. She is just the second Buckeye to ever record 100 or more steals in a season, doing so on Feb. 8 at Oregon, and owns 197 career steals. K. Cambridge recorded a career-high 10 steals on Dec. 11, becoming the sixth Buckeye in program history to total 10 or more steals in a single game and the second in the last two decades. The 10 steals in a game ties for the third-most by a player in program history and is just one shy of the single-game record.
Â
Despite being in only her second season at Ohio State, Cambridge has amassed 176 steals in the Scarlet & Gray to rank 15th in program history. This season, Cambridge has recorded at least one steal in all 34 games and totaled three or more in 25 games. She also owns the second-most blocks on the team (22).
Â
All session and single session tickets for the NCAA Women's Basketball First and Second Rounds are available HERE. For additional ticketing information and any questions, please contact the Ohio State Athletics Ticket Office by calling 1-(800)-GO-BUCKS or by emailing athletic.tix@osu.edu. Representatives are available via phone Monday through Friday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. ET. Â
Â
Â
K. Cambridge was named to the watch list and late season team for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year in addition to earning a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team by both the coaches and media. She has consistently led the Big Ten and stayed among the top five in the nation with 3.9 steals per game this season. She averages 1.5 steals per game more than any other player in the Big Ten this season.
Â
K. Cambridge owns the single season program record with 128 – a total that ranks second in Big Ten history since the 1981-82 season. She is just the second Buckeye to ever record 100 or more steals in a season, doing so on Feb. 8 at Oregon, and owns 197 career steals. K. Cambridge recorded a career-high 10 steals on Dec. 11, becoming the sixth Buckeye in program history to total 10 or more steals in a single game and the second in the last two decades. The 10 steals in a game ties for the third-most by a player in program history and is just one shy of the single-game record.
Â
Despite being in only her second season at Ohio State, Cambridge has amassed 176 steals in the Scarlet & Gray to rank 15th in program history. This season, Cambridge has recorded at least one steal in all 34 games and totaled three or more in 25 games. She also owns the second-most blocks on the team (22).
Â
All session and single session tickets for the NCAA Women's Basketball First and Second Rounds are available HERE. For additional ticketing information and any questions, please contact the Ohio State Athletics Ticket Office by calling 1-(800)-GO-BUCKS or by emailing athletic.tix@osu.edu. Representatives are available via phone Monday through Friday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. ET. Â
Â
#GoBucksÂ
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball No videos available.
