Personal hardware was not difficult to come by for WVU guard JJ Quinerly’s junior season. A long list of recognition was given to the shooting guard both in conference and nationally. So how does one raise the bar after a historic season?
In the 2023-24 season, Quinerly averaged an outstanding 19.8 points which was second best in the conference while shooting 34 percent from three and 46 percent from the field. She also led the Big 12 in steals with just under three per game (2.9).
As a team, West Virginia had the top four steal leaders in the conference: Quinerly, Jordan Harrison, Kyah Watson, and Lauren Fields.
The list of end of the season awards for Quinerly is a long one:
Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Finalist
Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist Player
WBCA Player of the Year Watchlist
2023-24 Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
2024 Big 12 First Team
2024 Big 12 Defensive Team
2024 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year
The bar will be high not just for Quinerly but the entire WVU women’s basketball team in the upcoming season. After a second round duel with the National runners-up Iowa, head coach Mark Kellogg’s squad is primed to make a run in the upcoming season.
When Quinerly came into Morgantown and made the decision to become a Mountaineer, the first thing she wanted to know was the all-time steal leader for the program. She wanted to break it.
After three seasons and back-to-back Big 12 First Team selections, Quinerly currently sits at 231 steals in her career. Which puts her fifth on the all-time list. Talisha Hargis who played from 1994-98 is the all-time leader in the program with 358 steals.
While first may be out of reach, nothing is impossible, especially with Quinerly. However, it would take almost four steals per game for the senior to take the crown next year.
Second place on the list is a lot more achievable for Quinerly as 1992 grad Rosemary Kosiorek sits at 293, only 62 ahead of the reigning Big 12 defensive player of the year.
The sky is the limit for both JJ Quinerly and the Mountaineers in the upcoming season. With so much already under the belt for the guard, things such as national player of the year, conference championships, and hosted NCAA tournament games all fall into play.
While it’s impossible to predict the future, the excitement and potential building around Quinerly and her team in Morgantown is palpable and undeniable.
