Darriel Gaynor leads the Mississippi State women’s basketball team on and off the court as the team’s only senior. Gaynor’s road to MSU has been a long, winding road in which she has been through injuries, transfers and multiple other challenges to land her in Starkville.
Gaynor’s success on the court started early in life as she was impacted by the pedigree of basketball she grew up around.
Darriel was taught the game of basketball by someone she holds very close to her heart. Her teacher, the one whom she still looks up to this day, is none other than her sister.
At the age of five years old, Gaynor’s sister Sequoia Holmes, versed Darriel in the game of basketball.
“Sequoia has been a big influence in my life,” Gaynor said. “She’s my mentor and my best friend.”
Holmes played in the WNBA for the Phoenix Mercury and the Houston Comets and now plays in Slovakia.
With the help of Holmes, along with practice and coaching throughout her life from other people, Gaynor made her way to Bishop Gorman High School and immediately impacted the program. While at Bishop Gorman, Gaynor averaged almost 15 points per game, along with 4.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists during her junior year, leading the Gaels to their second straight 4A State Championship. The Gaels won three championships in Gaynor’s last three seasons.
The Oregon Ducks heavily recruited Gaynor since she began high school, and Gaynor chose to attend college in Eugene, Ore.
“Oregon was the only school that recruited me all throughout high school,” Gaynor said. “I’m big on loyalty, and they were loyal to me. It was an easy decision.”
 Gaynor’s career at Oregon was short-lived, playing in 26 games for the Ducks in only one season where she averaged 1.3 points and one rebound per game.
After a short stint at Oregon, Gaynor transferred to Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas.
In her first game at TVCC, Gaynor’s season ended as quickly as it began. Within the first five minutes of the game, Gaynor suffered a season-ending knee injury that would cause her to become redshirted for the remainder of her sophomore year. But Gaynor was determined to continue her playing career.
After recovering from her injury, Gaynor committed to the University of Alabama, but shortly after, she decommitted and found her way to Starkville. Gaynor said her reason for choosing MSU was simple.
“I love the family atmosphere at State,” Gaynor said. “It’s different from the big city, but I like it here.”
Since becoming a Bulldog, Gaynor has been a leader on and off the court. She has used her past experience in her career to help out the younger players around her, such as junior Candace Foster. Foster spoke highly of Gaynor’s leadership ability.
“She is a hard worker and a great leader,” Foster said. “She goes the extra mile to do all that she can and leads by example.”
Sophomore guard Kendra Grant said she has also been highly influenced by Gaynor’s presence at State.
“Darriel has been through everything in her career, and she is still so positive and uplifting to everyone on this team,” Grant said.
Although it may seem as if Gaynor has been playing a high number of minutes for State, she only appeared in the starting lineup here once during her junior season. She is now a fifth-year senior, and excels on the court in her final year as a starter. Head coach Vic Schaefer said he credits her work ethic as a reason for her success.
“Darriel plays awfully hard,” Schaefer said. “We look to her on the court to be a leader for this team.”
During her career, Gaynor has been through almost everything that any player could possibly go through to get to her final destination as an athlete, but she has kept her head up and now leads the Dogs on and off the court during her final stand in college.