University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Kiana Rainey - An Inspiration to Everyone
12.07.2009 | Women's Basketball
By Mike Gore
Not much is expected this season from the UNC Asheville women's basketball team, which was picked to finish eighth in the Big South Conference. Coach Betsy Blose aspires to exceed those expectations For inspiration, they need to look no further than junior forward Kiana Rainey.
Rainey is the only senior on this year'sroster. She's listed as a junior because she red-shirted her freshman year due to a knee injury. However, Rainey will graduate in May with a degree in Health & Wellness.
The Bulldog coaching staff was eager to sign Kiana in the spring of 2006. She had enjoyed a standout prep career at Hillcrest HS in South Carolina where her jersey was retired at the end of her senior season.
"We were very excited about signing Kiana," Blose said recently. "She was a big signee for our program. We loved the way she competed and battled inside."
Asheville was coming off a 15-13 season in the 2005-06, and the Bulldogs were hopeful that Kiana could help strengthen their inside game. But a knee injury would keep her out of the magical 2006-07 season.
"It was very hard to watch from the bench," said Rainey after practice recently. "I wanted to be out on the floor helping the team but couldn't do it because of my knee."
Rainey's role that year was to simply support the team from the bench and try to get her knee better.
"Kiana has done everything we've ask her to do no matter what role she has," stated Blose. "Her role in her freshman year was to support our team during the games while sitting on the bench. She did a great job cheering our team on and supporting them as we won the conference tournament."
The Bulldogs captured the 2007 Big South Conference Tournament for the first time ever and went to the NCAA Tournament.
Rainey was anxious to play the next year. The Bulldogs had graduated some key players from their championship team and were going to need Rainey's help inside. But once again her knee wouldn't cooperate. She tried hard and even got to play in 11 games. Her top game was when she scored eight points and collected five rebounds at South Carolina on Jan. 3, 2008. But soon the knee would not let her play anymore in the 2007-08 season.
Last year Rainey wasn't fully healthy but healthy enough to play. The Bulldogs needed her and she managed to play in 28 games. She was a little rusty but battled and improved as the year went on.
This year Rainey is as close to full strength as she can be. She has started five times and is averaging six points and five rebounds per game, while providing valuable leadership.
"I've always tried to work hard but this summer I worked even harder because I knew this was my last year of playing," said Rainey.
Her hard work has paid off as she's done a great job defending the post for the Bulldogs in the first part of the year. Blose can't say enough about player who says, "My passion is defense."
"What's great about Kiana is that she never backs down. She didn't back down from her knee injuries; she didn't back down when she couldn't play; and she doesn't back from anything that happens on the floor. We're glad to have her on the floor for us this season."
Rainey enjoys the battles she has inside with her opponents.
"I love the contact inside and the battles you fight," said Rainey. "I look at good defense as proving a point that I can stop you each and every time. And if you don't let someone score it makes it easier for my team to win."
Blose just smiles when told of Rainey's thoughts on defense.
"Kiana has always valued that part of the floor when it comes to defense and that's why she's on the floor," commented Blose. "She's constantly matched up against players who are bigger, stronger and taller than her but she doesn't back down from anyone.
"Her great work on defense is contagious, as well," added Blose. "It makes everyone else want to play good defense, too.
"She is an absolute inspiration to our team and to our coaching staff," Blose said. "Kiana is someone you want to go to war with each and every game. I feel lucky to have coached her."
Not much is expected this season from the UNC Asheville women's basketball team, which was picked to finish eighth in the Big South Conference. Coach Betsy Blose aspires to exceed those expectations For inspiration, they need to look no further than junior forward Kiana Rainey.
Rainey is the only senior on this year'sroster. She's listed as a junior because she red-shirted her freshman year due to a knee injury. However, Rainey will graduate in May with a degree in Health & Wellness.
The Bulldog coaching staff was eager to sign Kiana in the spring of 2006. She had enjoyed a standout prep career at Hillcrest HS in South Carolina where her jersey was retired at the end of her senior season.
"We were very excited about signing Kiana," Blose said recently. "She was a big signee for our program. We loved the way she competed and battled inside."
Asheville was coming off a 15-13 season in the 2005-06, and the Bulldogs were hopeful that Kiana could help strengthen their inside game. But a knee injury would keep her out of the magical 2006-07 season.
"It was very hard to watch from the bench," said Rainey after practice recently. "I wanted to be out on the floor helping the team but couldn't do it because of my knee."
Rainey's role that year was to simply support the team from the bench and try to get her knee better.
"Kiana has done everything we've ask her to do no matter what role she has," stated Blose. "Her role in her freshman year was to support our team during the games while sitting on the bench. She did a great job cheering our team on and supporting them as we won the conference tournament."
The Bulldogs captured the 2007 Big South Conference Tournament for the first time ever and went to the NCAA Tournament.
Rainey was anxious to play the next year. The Bulldogs had graduated some key players from their championship team and were going to need Rainey's help inside. But once again her knee wouldn't cooperate. She tried hard and even got to play in 11 games. Her top game was when she scored eight points and collected five rebounds at South Carolina on Jan. 3, 2008. But soon the knee would not let her play anymore in the 2007-08 season.
Last year Rainey wasn't fully healthy but healthy enough to play. The Bulldogs needed her and she managed to play in 28 games. She was a little rusty but battled and improved as the year went on.
This year Rainey is as close to full strength as she can be. She has started five times and is averaging six points and five rebounds per game, while providing valuable leadership.
"I've always tried to work hard but this summer I worked even harder because I knew this was my last year of playing," said Rainey.
Her hard work has paid off as she's done a great job defending the post for the Bulldogs in the first part of the year. Blose can't say enough about player who says, "My passion is defense."
"What's great about Kiana is that she never backs down. She didn't back down from her knee injuries; she didn't back down when she couldn't play; and she doesn't back from anything that happens on the floor. We're glad to have her on the floor for us this season."
Rainey enjoys the battles she has inside with her opponents.
"I love the contact inside and the battles you fight," said Rainey. "I look at good defense as proving a point that I can stop you each and every time. And if you don't let someone score it makes it easier for my team to win."
Blose just smiles when told of Rainey's thoughts on defense.
"Kiana has always valued that part of the floor when it comes to defense and that's why she's on the floor," commented Blose. "She's constantly matched up against players who are bigger, stronger and taller than her but she doesn't back down from anyone.
"Her great work on defense is contagious, as well," added Blose. "It makes everyone else want to play good defense, too.
"She is an absolute inspiration to our team and to our coaching staff," Blose said. "Kiana is someone you want to go to war with each and every game. I feel lucky to have coached her."
Players Mentioned
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