Missouri State

Honors: Second-Team All-MVC (2023), MVC All-Defensive Team (2023), MVC All-Newcomer Team (2023), MVC Newcomer of the Week (Jan. 2, 2023, Jan. 23, 2023), Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (Fall 2022, Spring 2023)...MVC Academic Honor Roll (2023).

2022-23: Second-Team All-MVC…MVC All-Defensive Team…MVC All-Newcomer Team…Two-time MVC Newcomer of the Week…Led MSU with 14.9 points per game, 140 assists and 63 steals…Averaged 4.6 rebounds per game and shot .378 from the field and .774 from the free throw line…One of two Lady Bears to start all 32 games…Surpassed the 1,000-point mark for her career against Oklahoma State (Nov. 17)…Recorded 12 consecutive games with 10 or more points from Dec. 21-Feb. 1…Became the fourth player in Lady Bear history to post a double-double with at least five assists and five steals at Evansville with a season-high 27 points and 10 rebounds, five assists and a career-high six steals (Dec. 31)…With 25 points and a career-high 10 assists against Southern Illinois (Jan. 11), she became the first Lady Bears since Casey Garrison in 2012 to record at least 20 points and 10 assists in a game…Scored 21 points with five rebounds, four assists and three steals at Belmont (Jan. 20)…Logged a career-high 49 minutes on the floor in the double overtime victory against Murray State, dropping 23 points and collecting six rebounds and assists (Feb. 17)…On senior day against Indiana State, she scored 20 points, secured five rebounds, dished four assists and collected three steals and blocked a shot (Feb. 25)…Posted a game-high 21 points to go with five rebounds, four assists and three steals in MSU’s quarterfinal matchup against Drake in the MVC Tournament (March 10)…Scored 17 points and had a game-high five assists in Missouri State’s WNIT opening round game at Nebraska (March 15)…Paced MSU with eight 20-point performances and 27 double-figure point games…Led the Lady Bears in scoring 17 times, in assists 22 times and in steals 16 times… Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for Fall 2022 and Spring 2023.

Background: Spent the first four seasons of her college career at Kansas…Two-time Academic All-Big 12 first team selection…Started 16 games and averaged 8.5 points and 2.5 rebounds as a senior…Appeared in 25 games and led the Jayhawks with 42 steals as a junior… Was in the starting lineup for 28 games as a sophomore and registered 21 double-digit scoring performances to average 12.6 ppg… Averaged 4.8 ppg and grabbed 33 rebounds in 29 appearances as a true freshman…Was a three-star recruit out of Duncanville (Texas) High School…Ranked No. 50 for her position by ESPN and No. 122 overall by Prospect Nation…Helped lead her team to three Texas State Championship appearances and two 6A state titles.
 
Personal: Aniya Thomas is the daughter of Aaron and Crystal Thomas…Born May 17, 2000 in Dallas, Texas…Has three sisters: Traci, Reagan and Alyssa… Graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications and a minor in sport management from KU in May 2022…Pursuing a graduate certificate in Professional Studies.