NEW YORK  – Maryland women's basketball alum Brionna Jones was named WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Thursday. Jones was named the league's top reserve for the first time in her career.
 
Jones received 53 of 56 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.  To be eligible for the award, a player had to play more games as a reserve than as a starter.
 
A six-year WNBA veteran, Jones played all 36 of the Connecticut Sun's regular-season games, coming off the bench in 29 games and starting the remaining seven games.  Overall, she averaged 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.22 steals in 25.1 minutes per game.  Jones ranked 20^th in the WNBA in scoring, fourth in field goal percentage (56.9) and second in offensive rebounds (2.6 per game).
 
Jones recorded seasons highs of 21 points twice, nine rebounds three times, four assists twice and four steals once.  On June 5, she finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals as a reserve in a 93-86 win over the Seattle Storm.
 
Jones was named a WNBA All-Star for the second consecutive season.  She helped Connecticut post a 25-11 record and earn the No. 3 seed in the 2022 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google.
 
This is the second year in a row that Jones has won an annual performance award.  Last season, she was selected as the 2021 Kia WNBA Most Improved Player.
 
The Terrapins are one of just six schools with four or more alums in the WNBA Playoffs. Jones and her Sun teammate, former Terp Alyssa Thomas, are currently in the WNBA Semifinals. Former Terps Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and Tianna Hawkins made the WNBA Playoffs with the Washington Mystics.

Eighteen Terrapins have been drafted into the WNBA, including 14 under head coach Brenda Frese. Nine of Frese's Terps were drafted in the top 10. Terrapins in the WNBA have gone on to win five WNBA titles and earn 12 WNBA All Star Selections.

Jones, Thomas and the Sun are back in Playoff action Sunday at 1 p.m. ET as they take on the Chicago Sky on ESPN2. The series is currently tied at 1.