Seven WCC awards for freshman of the week. Ranked second among all other first years in the WCC conference for scoring. The only women’s basketball player in the WCC to be ranked in the top 15 for both blocks and shots per game. One of three Portland players to earn all-WCC honors.
But all of this may have never happened for Dyani Ananiev had a friend not convinced her to begin playing, quickly transforming the humble hobby into a full-fledged passion and propelling her journey from Australia to the Chiles Center. With just one season under her belt, Ananiev has worked alongside her teammates to secure UP another WCC win and a ticket to March Madness.
Ananiev was always an active child. Although she wasn’t initially involved in basketball, she participated in various sports such as tennis and karate to keep herself active. However, Ananiev sensed a special connection with basketball from the moment she began to play in 2012. She quickly discovered she had a natural talent for the sport, and appreciated the social yet competitive nature of the game.
“I liked the social aspect and getting to know people,” Ananiev said. “And I guess I’m a very competitive person, so I want to be the best at everything.”
Once Ananiev realized her potential, she joined an after-school basketball club to develop her skills. There she began attracting the attention of other teams and spent a majority of her secondary school career hopping between them. At one point, Ananiev had a brief stint on the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL), the foremost women’s basketball league in Australia.
Ananiev credits her former coach Shane Palmer, who coached her U12 team in 2015 and 2016, for sparking her interest in the sport.
“He changed my perspective on basketball,” Ananiev said. “It went from a competitive game to a mental game.”
When the possibility of pursuing basketball at a higher level arose, Ananiev sought assistance from recruiter Sam Tomilson to explore her options. And, in 2023, Tomilson got in contact with UP women’s basketball’s head coach Michael Meek to discuss the possibility of Ananiev beginning her career as a Pilot.
Meek, who is entering his fifth year as head coach, was immediately interested in recruiting Ananiev. Her fearlessness in guarding players of any size stood out, but what really influenced him to extend an offer was her attitude and personality off the court.
“She [Ananiev] came from a great family,” Meek said. “She was cited as being a great teammate and had the letter grades to prove she was strong in the classroom as well.”
Upon accepting the offer to play at UP, Ananiev felt nervous about moving so far away from home. But, she found comfort in the fact that the university prioritized family values among its players.
“Since I was moving so far away from home, I wanted somewhere where I could have a family,” Ananiev said. “Mike [Meek] loves his program, in which he values the player first.”
Lainey Spear, a fellow first-year teammate, echoes the sentiment that their team is deeply family-orientated. This sense of camaraderie extends even when players, like Ananiev, receive individual recognition for awards.
“It speaks more to the culture,” Spear said. “She [Ananiev] was like, ‘Oh, I get my points because I get a pass from her,’ or, ‘I get this rebound because someone else did a good box out.’ It’s never about somebody as an individual.”
At the beginning of this season, Ananiev did not think she would get much playing time, given her status as a first-year member on the team. She imagined her role as a supportive cheerleader for her teammates, but was pleasantly surprised by the turn of events.
“I was talking to my mom and dad about my first year and was just going to experience being on the team, but not get any time,” Ananiev said. “I probably won’t do well, but I just want to be there and become a better player.”
Meek, however, recognized Ananiev’s potential and made the decision to afford her more opportunities on the court as the season progressed.
“She had great versatility on the court,” Meek said. “And when I saw her play, she seemed as though she had a great opportunity to grow.”
Ananiev embraced these chances wholeheartedly, distinguishing herself through her performance and garnering accolades within both the UP program and the WCC.
The repeated acknowledgement as freshman of the week by the WCC left Ananiev astonished, but she eventually took great pride in her achievement, recognizing the challenge of balancing collegiate basketball with acclimating to a new school and country.
“I guess the first week I won, I was genuinely surprised,” Ananiev said. “And then I won again, and I’m like, ‘Oh okay, I’m actually doing well.’”
According to Meek, Ananiev has made it clear to her teammates that it truly is a team award. Without her fellow teammates, Ananiev acknowledges that she would not be honored at this level, a recognition that Meek finds admirable in his players.
“When I’m recruiting players, I look especially for girls who also work to support one another,” Meek said. “My staff and I work to make an environment that doesn’t put winning at the forefront but emphasizes getting along as a team, which coincidentally leads to more wins in general.”
Ananiev believes that her family’s dedication and involvement in her career have been instrumental in motivating her to excel on the court and grow as an individual. Specifically, Ananiev gives a shoutout to her mom, dad, siblings Aiyana and Chaska and family dog Sonnie for constantly supporting and rooting for her across the ocean.
“I’m making my family proud,” Ananiev said. “I’m a fairly family-oriented person and I love my family. And it makes me happy when my mom and dad are proud of me.”
Ananiev has achieved her original goal for the season: winning the WCC finals for her team. She has already begun adapting to Portland and is looking forward to further establishing herself in her new home away from home.
“I think I picked a place that I could stick to for four years, and I honestly don’t plan on leaving,” Ananiev said.
Molly Bancroft is a reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at bancroft26@up.edu.
