Ayanna Khalfani 

Love & Basketball: how hardships helped shape her best season yet

Wayne McKinney III / Contributor / The USD Vista

Women’s sports have become the new face of the University of San Diego, from USD volleyball going to the Final Four to the Women’s basketball team ready to make a deep run in the tournament. Ayanna (Yahya) Khalfani, senior guard on the women’s basketball team, made huge strides from last season to the current season. 

Last season, Khalfani averaged 4.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Being comfortable on the court comes from  the amount of work that she has  done to perfect her  game, starting in the little leagues as a younger player. Khalfani grew up in Woodlands, California, and went to three different high schools. She believes that her experience in all three schools helped make her the woman that she is today.

 At the end of her high school career came a big decision, which involved 15 potential colleges. Although having many prospects was exciting, Khalfani described the stress that shortly followed. 

“The recruiting process coming out of high school was very hectic, because there were various connections and relationships to keep with different schools and coaches,” Khalfani stated. “By the end of my sophomore year, I had around 15 scholarships, and many more relationships on top of that which was very exhausting, even though I was truly grateful for them.”

As far as committing to USD, Khalfani felt a sense of belonging that differentiated it from other options. 

“I never had a dream school, so there was nothing specific I was looking for when going on my visits, I was just looking for a feeling of where I belonged. When I went on my visit to San Diego, I felt like it had everything I wanted as far as good academics, playing style, coaches and teammates. I committed in October of my junior year.” 

Finding your place on a team and embellishing your talents is not easy for most athletes. But for Khalfani, this has been the case. She uses motivation from her father to keep going.

“My dad has been my biggest motivator for my basketball career,” Khalfani explained. “He has given me so much direction and feedback to help with my success over the years. Whether it was going over the film after the game or coming to San Diego to train me, he was always there. For that, I am forever grateful.” 

Khalfani’s only goal for the team for the end of the season was to end just as strong as they had started. The team managed to do that and more, as they finished in the super 16 round of the National Invitational Tournament. Khalfani describes how every game is different but the team still maintains the mental toughness to pull out wins.    

“It is anyone’s game on any given night. Ensuring that we lock in every game and I put my best foot forward to help my team to those victories is always the goal,” said Khalfani. 

Khalfani also explained how there were a lot of team injuries and changes from previous seasons to this season, but this year it all seemed to click together.

“From last season to this season, the whole dynamic of our team has changed,” Khalfani stated. “There were four players from the starting lineup of the last three years gone, and we needed to find new people to fill the shoes of those we had lost. Many people had to step outside of their comfort zone and become leaders.”

Khalfani has made an incredible impact on her teammates and the people around her, and she’s barely scratching the surface. 

After college, most graduates tend to  take a while to determine what their next step is. For Khalfani, the future  is very bright. 

“I plan to go overseas after my college career finishes,” she said. 

 At the end of the season the West Coast Conference announced Khalfani as the Co-Defensive Player of the Year, a testament to her hard work.