91传媒

Maya bein鈥� Maya

Maya Ah You Dias earned national honors for her character on and off the court.

Only a few high school sophomores could be said to have grace and maturity, and even fewer of them grow up to earn one of the nation鈥檚 most prestigious awards for personal character. Maya Ah You Dias, a junior on 91传媒鈥檚 women鈥檚 basketball team, is that student.

Coach Anji Weissenfluh said she recognized Dias鈥� talent early on, but was truly impressed by the young player鈥檚 personality.

鈥淚 knew she was an extraordinary person from the time I first met her,鈥� Weissenfluh said.

In September, Dias received the NAIA鈥檚 Leroy Walker Character Award for outstanding academic achievement, campus and community leadership, athletic achievement, ambition and embracing the five core values of the NAIA Champions of Character initiative: integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership. The league selects one student-athlete out of 65,000 each year to receive the honor.

鈥淏ringing a character award to our campus means so much,鈥� Dias said. 鈥淭he core values of the Champions of Character are something we strive to exemplify every day at 91传媒, and knowing that our efforts are being acknowledged is very rewarding.鈥�

High standards of achievement reached the court this season, too. Dias broke the 1,000-point barrier in January alongside teammate Payton Parrish, and Weissenfluh claimed her 400th career win a month later. The team鈥檚 momentum carried the Mountaineers to finish the regular season 20-0, a first in Cascade Collegiate Conference history.

After winning the conference championship, improving their record to 23-0 in conference play, the team advanced to the NAIA national tournament. Weissenfluh, named CCC Coach of the Year for the sixth time, led the Mountaineers to the second round of the tournament, where the team鈥檚 25-game winning streak came to an end with the 2017-18 season.

Dias said she treasures the relationships she鈥檚 built on campus. A psychology major from Middleton, Idaho, Dias has spent five years in La Grande and has developed deep ties to the community.

鈥淭he connections I鈥檝e been able to make with teammates, athletes, students, coaches and professors while being a student at 91传媒 is the most special thing I鈥檒l take away from here,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 never could have imagined the amount of lifelong friends and inspiring individuals I would meet throughout my college years.鈥�

Each athletics program at 91传媒 makes intentional effort to practice service leadership through outreach events and demonstrate the core values in words and actions. Weissenfluh said Dias鈥檚 teammates look to her for an example of how to live by the NAIA鈥檚 core values on and off the court.

鈥淪he epitomizes the core values of the Champions of Character program,鈥� Weissenfluh said. 鈥淪he is a wonderful role model for not only the La Grande community, but in her hometown as well. She comes from a family where service is valued and she has taken it upon herself to continue a tradition of helping others.鈥�

The Mountaineer Athletic Association, an affiliate of the 91传媒 Foundation, recognized Dias with a one-time $500 scholarship in December to celebrate her status as a role model and recipient of the character award. As part of the recognition, the NAIA contributes $1,000 to the school鈥檚 general scholarship fund to benefit students and student-athletes.

Named CCC Player of the Year, Dias led the All-Conference team and took the top spot in the CCC for points per game (18.9) this season. She encourages every student to be actively engaged in everything 91传媒 has to offer.

鈥淭he amount of things that you can accomplish by being part of the 91传媒 community is amazing,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here are so many people who are willing and waiting to help you accomplish your goals!鈥�

Weissenfluh said the NAIA鈥檚 core values sum up 鈥渢he most important part of our jobs as coaches,鈥� instilling those lifelong character traits into students鈥� words and actions. She said they come to Dias naturally.

鈥淚t鈥檚 part of who she is. It鈥檚 not something that she鈥檚 trying to be recognized for, it鈥檚 what she鈥檚 truly about,鈥� Weissenfluh said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e gotten to see Maya being Maya.鈥�

Learn more about Maya and keep up with all Mountaineer athletics at eousports.com.