Moss signs with Brescia University Bearcats

Joining the two-sport scholarship signing last week were (front from left) CCHS basketball coach Shannon Hodge, mother Christy Moss, signee Cassidy Moss, father Ronnie Moss, (back) CCHS Principal Curtis Brown, Kentucky Rage travel softball team coach Ed Ward, Brescia basketball coach Michael Gray, Brescia softball coach Traci Smith, sister Khyla Moss and sister Chandler Moss.

FOR CASSIDY MOSS, THE CAREER HIGHLIGHT REEL is fairly lengthy, but the Crittenden County High School senior says signing with Brescia University in Owensboro is a top-shelf milestone.

Moss, 17, was surrounded by family, friends and coaches in mid December 2016 when she agreed to play basketball and softball at Brescia in return for a college education. She wants to become a dentist and says sports will help her achieve that career goal.

Brescia is a Catholic, liberal arts four-year university and the softball and basketball teams compete in the NAIA River States Conference.

Eleven-year Lady Bearcats softball coach Traci Smith says Moss will immediately be an impact player. She projects Moss as a pitcher and infielder.

As a junior at Crittenden County, Moss led the team in batting last spring with a .494 average in 83 plate appearances over 22 games. She also led the high school team with 27 RBI, six home runs and six triples. She also had eight doubles and a .987 slugging percentage.

Moss started 16 games, pitched in 18 and had a 1.47 ERA in 109.1 innings. She struck out 135 and walked just 19. She can field her position, too, posting a .957 fielding percentage on 70 chances last year, mostly at the mound.

One of the reasons Moss chose to take her talents to Brescia is because it offered her a chance to avoid what otherwise would have been a major decision – choosing between collegiate basketball or softball.
“It really would have been hard for me to pick,” she said. “I am blessed to have the opportunity to play both.”

Moss has been a stalwart on the basketball court at CCHS where she’s started every year since eighth grade. She has scored more than 1,400 points in her career and is on track to become the Lady Rockets’ all-time career scoring leader at some point this season.

Michael Gray is a first-year head women’s basketball coach at Brescia. He is very familiar with Moss and her legacy as an athlete.

“I grew up in Caldwell County and played against the Moss family,” the Brescia skipper said refering to Cassidy’s father, Ronnie, and her uncles. “I know what kind of competitor she is. I have been watching her for the last two or three years.”

Cassidy said her father has been the driving force behind her career, keeping her focused and tempering her resolve and hard work.

“He has always pushed me to want to be better,” she said.

Moss is averaging about 20 points for the high school team this season, but Gray thinks her defense doesn’t get the respect it deserves.

“I’m building a team around defense and she is a great defender,” he said.

Because of her versatility, Gray said Moss could very likely be a starter in her freshman season.