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Quincy’s McCavit brings multi-sport skills to KCC basketball

Quincy’s McCavit brings multi-sport skills to KCC basketball

QUINCY – Quincy graduate Alyssa McCavit didn’t think much about playing basketball in college. The multi-sport athlete had recently decided to attend Kellogg Community College (KCC) to major in Early Childhood Education with the intention of one day becoming a daycare teacher.

Because McCavit was so focused on school, it came as a surprise to her when the Bruins coaches contacted her and indicated that she wanted to play basketball.

You see, just over 7% of high school athletes go on to play a varsity sport at the college level. That means 1 in 13 students will take the next step in their chosen sport and advance to the college ranks, so for McCavit it was a no brainer.

“They actually approached me and asked if I wanted to play basketball for the team,” McCavit said. “I was planning on going there to focus on school, but when they mentioned basketball, I jumped at it.”

McCavit is the true definition of a multi-sport athlete, having earned varsity letters in volleyball, basketball and softball. Not only did McCavit earn varsity letters in each sport, but she also earned Big 8 All Conference honors in all three sports, being named to the Big 8 All Conference First Team in both basketball and softball and earning honorable mentions in volleyball.

During basketball season, McCavit was a machine on the hardwood floors at Quincy High School, dominating in the paint on a nightly basis. McCavit finished the season averaging 10.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game for the Orioles. As a three-year varsity player for Quincy, McCavit finished averaging 7.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

During her senior season, McCavit recorded four double-doubles and had double-figure rebounds in seven of the 18 games played. McCavit’s best performance of the season came in a tough 56-40 loss to Reading on January 5, when she scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. McCavit’s season-high points came twice, once in a 61-33 win over Union City and the other time in a 52-34 win over Athens, when she had 19 points. McCavit’s highest rebounding total came in an early-season loss to Stockbridge, when she grabbed 14 rebounds.

Despite her successes in high school across several sports, McCavit knows there will still be challenges as she transitions to higher education.

“I think the pace of the game is going to be a big adjustment for me,” McCavit said. “There’s so much to learn in college, so the pace and knowing where you need to be at any given time is probably my toughest adjustment.”

Although McCavit didn’t plan on playing basketball in college, she realized halfway through her senior year that she could.

“Around mid-season, when I was averaging almost a double-double, I thought playing college was a possibility,” McCavit said. “I thought about playing volleyball at KCC as well, but I decided to just focus on one sport.”

For the KCC coaching staff, that could be a major boon, as the multi-sport athlete from Quincy has a healthy dose of determination and the sheer willpower it takes to succeed at the collegiate level. As McCavit himself said, “There are no breaks.”

Get to know your recruit

Name: Alyssa McCavit

School: Quincy high school

Secondary school: Kellogg Community College (KCC)

Sport: Basketball

Important: Early childhood education

Favorite food: Steak

Favorite dessert: Chocolate icecream

Favorite movie: Benchwarmers

Favorite TV show: ICarly

Favorite book: Colleen Hoover books

Hobbies: She enjoys spending time with her family, with her niece and on a small farm where she lives, where she also enjoys spending time with her animals.

Best memory: “My fondest memory is seeing how many Quincy fans showed up at our district finals for both volleyball and basketball. It was amazing to see all the support we had.”

More: Why Holroyd is moving from Quincy to another state to continue his baseball career