Ole Miss senior forward Latasha Lattimore has been named to the 2026 Naismith Women’s College Defensive Player of the Year Presented by MOLECULE Watch List, according to an announcement from the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Lattimore is one of 25 student-athletes nationwide to receive this recognition and could become the first player in Ole Miss women’s basketball history to win the award.
Lattimore stands out as one of seven forwards on the list and is among 12 players representing SEC schools. Since the start of the season, she has made a significant impact on defense for Ole Miss, recording 45 blocks at an average of 2.1 per game. This statistic ranks her third in the SEC and 21st nationally. She also has 86 defensive rebounds, placing her third among her teammates in that category.
During this season, Lattimore maintained a streak of at least one block in 12 consecutive games, marking the longest such run for a Rebel since Dominique Banks’ 19-game streak during the 2019-20 season. She has also achieved eight games with three or more blocks, matching a mark last reached by Rita Igbokwe in the 2022-23 season.
Lattimore posted two games with five or more blocks this year. The first came against Mississippi Valley State where she had six blocks, tying her career-high set at her previous school. She matched that level again with five blocks against Texas in Austin—the highest total recorded by any player against Texas this season.
On offense, Lattimore averages 10.2 points per game and is shooting nearly fifty percent from the field.
Single game tickets for next season are available through OleMissTix.com.
“
