Tajianna Roberts Named to Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List
October 28, 2025 | Women's Basketball
She is one of 20 players named to the watch list that honors the best shooting guard in the country
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — University of Louisville sophomore Tajianna Roberts was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List, the Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Tuesday. Roberts is one of 20 players on the preseason list that recognizes the top shooting guard in college basketball.
Roberts is coming off a standout freshman season with the Cardinals where she started in all 33 games and was one of the most productive players on the team. She averaged 12.8 points per game, which was second on the team, and led the team with 57 steals.
Roberts was named ACC Rookie of the Week five times during last season, which set a program record for weekly honors by a freshman in a single season. She had 25 double-digit scoring games last season, which was the top mark among ACC freshmen. She was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team and Second Team All-ACC following the season. She was one of just two freshmen to earn All-ACC honors.
She was named to the Preseason All-ACC team by the ACC Coaches and Blue Ribbon panel prior to the 2025-26 season. Louisville was one of three schools with multiple players on the preseason All-ACC Team.
Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Award
Taliah Scott, Baylor
Delaney Gibb, BYU
Lulu Twidale, Cal
Ashlon Jackson, Duke
Elle Evans, Kansas
Tajianna Roberts, Louisville
Flau'Jae Johnson, LSU
Kaylene Smikle, Maryland
Syla Swords, Michigan
Zamareya Jones, NC State
Payton Verhulst, Oklahoma
Rachel Ullstrom, Richmond
Ta'Niya Latson, South Carolina
Laila Phelia, Syracuse
Ruby Whitehorn, Tennessee
Gianna Kneepkens, UCLA
Azzi Fudd, UConn
Destiny Leo, UNLV
Kara Dunn, USC
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, October 31. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2026 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Meyers Drysdale, and the Hall of Fame's selection committees, where winners will be selected. The Selection Committees for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award are composed of top women's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2026 Meyers Drysdale Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Men's and Women's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Award (Point Guard), Cheryl Miller Award (Small Forward), Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward), and the Lisa Leslie Award (Center).
Previous winners of the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award are JuJu Watkins, USC (2024-25), Zia Cooke, South Carolina (2023), Christyn Williams, UConn (2022), Ashley Owusu, Maryland (2021), Aari McDonald, Arizona (2020), Asia Durr, Louisville (2019), and Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State (2018).
For more information on the 2026 Ann Meyers Drysdale Awards and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu, and #MeyersDrysdaleAward on X and Instagram.
About the WBCA:
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. For more information, visit us online: WBCA.org, follow @wbca1981 or call 1-770-279-8027.
About the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 475 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game's elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 150 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit hoophall.com and follow @hoophallu.
Basketball Hall of Fame Media Contact
Nicole Schuermann, Position Sports // mediarelations@positionsports.com
Roberts is coming off a standout freshman season with the Cardinals where she started in all 33 games and was one of the most productive players on the team. She averaged 12.8 points per game, which was second on the team, and led the team with 57 steals.
Roberts was named ACC Rookie of the Week five times during last season, which set a program record for weekly honors by a freshman in a single season. She had 25 double-digit scoring games last season, which was the top mark among ACC freshmen. She was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team and Second Team All-ACC following the season. She was one of just two freshmen to earn All-ACC honors.
She was named to the Preseason All-ACC team by the ACC Coaches and Blue Ribbon panel prior to the 2025-26 season. Louisville was one of three schools with multiple players on the preseason All-ACC Team.
Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Award
Taliah Scott, Baylor
Delaney Gibb, BYU
Lulu Twidale, Cal
Ashlon Jackson, Duke
Elle Evans, Kansas
Tajianna Roberts, Louisville
Flau'Jae Johnson, LSU
Kaylene Smikle, Maryland
Syla Swords, Michigan
Zamareya Jones, NC State
Payton Verhulst, Oklahoma
Rachel Ullstrom, Richmond
Ta'Niya Latson, South Carolina
Laila Phelia, Syracuse
Ruby Whitehorn, Tennessee
Gianna Kneepkens, UCLA
Azzi Fudd, UConn
Destiny Leo, UNLV
Kara Dunn, USC
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, October 31. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2026 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Meyers Drysdale, and the Hall of Fame's selection committees, where winners will be selected. The Selection Committees for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award are composed of top women's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2026 Meyers Drysdale Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Men's and Women's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Award (Point Guard), Cheryl Miller Award (Small Forward), Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward), and the Lisa Leslie Award (Center).
Previous winners of the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award are JuJu Watkins, USC (2024-25), Zia Cooke, South Carolina (2023), Christyn Williams, UConn (2022), Ashley Owusu, Maryland (2021), Aari McDonald, Arizona (2020), Asia Durr, Louisville (2019), and Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State (2018).
For more information on the 2026 Ann Meyers Drysdale Awards and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu, and #MeyersDrysdaleAward on X and Instagram.
About the WBCA:
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. For more information, visit us online: WBCA.org, follow @wbca1981 or call 1-770-279-8027.
About the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 475 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game's elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 150 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit hoophall.com and follow @hoophallu.
Basketball Hall of Fame Media Contact
Nicole Schuermann, Position Sports // mediarelations@positionsports.com
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballWBB: Head Coach Jeff Walz On-Campus Media Day (10/22/25)
Wednesday, October 22
WBB: Head Coach Jeff Walz Press Conference (7/31/25)
Thursday, July 31
Jeff Walz Post Game vs Clemson Press Conference 02.27.25
Friday, May 16
WBB: NCAA 2nd Round Preview Press Conference
Saturday, March 22
