Raya Cassidy '24 Recruiting Profile

I have been blessed to grow up surrounded by a supportive community. I watched the many role models around me work hard for what they were passionate about, so when I found my passion for basketball, I began to work hard for it as well. From a very young age, I set the goal of playing college in basketball, and that motivated me to work hard everyday. As a perfectionist, I spent countless hours on the courts trying to master the game. And as those hours passed, my love for the game grew. I continued to grind and faced both sunshine and rain in the process. From being told as an early high schooler that I would never go anywhere with the sport to sustaining a sequence of difficult injuries halfway through my high school career, I’ve faced many obstacles throughout this process. But if basketball has taught me anything, it’s to fight for something you love. Despite these down-puttings, I find myself lacing up my shoes and walking out onto the court every single day. I feel the love of the sport rush upon me all over again when I touch the basketball. And I don‘t think I’d want to be anywhere else other than on that court. As I continue to work daily on my game, I use my past failures as lessons to learn from and motivation. I feel motivated to keep working towards the highest of my potential, and I’m excited to see what the future has in store.