ST. LOUIS – Illinois State sophomore forward Doneelah Washington has put together a stellar second season for the Redbirds, and for her efforts she earned a spot on the 2026 All-Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball First Team. In addition to her All-MVC honor, Washington was also named the league's Most Improved Player and was selected to the MVC Defensive Team for her performances this season. She was joined on the yearly honors announcement by freshman Kya Hurt, who was named to the MVC All-Freshman team in a vote of league head coaches, sports information directors and members of the media.
Washington becomes the first Redbird since 2023 (Paige Robinson) to earn a spot on the All-MVC First Team and the 10th under the guidance of head coach Kristen Gillespie. It also marks the 14th time a Redbird has earned a spot on the MVC All-Defensive Team and the first since 2024, when Kate Bullman landed a spot on the list in back-to-back seasons. She is also just the second ISU student-athlete to be named the MVC Most Improved Player, joining Mary Crompton in 2021.
Washington has done it all for the Redbirds, leading the team in points per game (16.5), rebounds per game (8.7), steals (60) and blocked shots (52) while starting all 31 games for ISU in the post. The sophomore from Lincoln, Nebraska, has tallied 11 double-double performances on the year, including a career-high 31-point, 12-rebound effort in a win over Belmont. She currently ranks in the top 10 in the MVC in scoring (7th – 16.5 pgg), rebounding (4th – 8.7 rpg), field goal percentage (5th – .503), blocks (2nd – 52), and steals (2nd – 60). A 2025 MVC All-Freshman Team selection, Washington has stepped up her production in every category this season, leading her to be the most improved player in the conference.
Hurt is the 14th Redbird to earn a spot on the MVC All-Freshman Team and her selection marks three-straight seasons with an ISU freshman on the list. Last year, Washington earned a spot on the list and the year prior, Shannon Dowell was voted a member of the all-freshman squad.Â
A native of Indianapolis, Hurt has started in 20 of her 30 games played this season for the Redbirds and is averaging 22.5 minutes played per contest. On the year, Hurt has averaged 8.1 points per game and 2.4 assists per contest, while recording 28 steals on the year while splitting time at the point guard position. She has scored in double figures 10 times, including three-straight games against Nebraska, Oakland and Indiana State. She had her best game of the year in the conference home opener against Sycamores, when she scored a career-high 26 points, dished out six assists, had four steals, grabbed three rebounds, and was 4-for-6 from three-point range in a win over the Trees.
Illinois State has earned the No. 3 seed in the 2026 Credit Union 1 MVC Women's Basketball Tournament at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa. The Redbirds will play the winner of the opening-round matchup between Drake and Valparaiso in the quarterfinals on Friday, with tipoff set for 8:30 p.m. CT on Friday, March 13.
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