Cassidy Rowe bleeds blue.
For three seasons she embodied everyone Kentucky born players’ dream of playing for the Blue and White.
A couple of weeks ago, she announced that her career was over because new coach Kenny Brooks wasn’t offering her a scholarship during her senior season.
Remember the floods of 2022?
Rowe was the spokesperson for the team and helped do all kinds of fundraising and raising awareness of how bad things were?
She has been a Kentuckian proud to be from Kentucky and shows what it means to play for the Wildcats.
For Brooks to end her career a year early is a shame.
It is sad to me that she hasn’t earned her spot as long as she has eligibility.
So rather than play for anywhere else and enter the transfer portal, she announced on social media that her basketball career has come to an end.
It’s sad.
Initially, I waited to talk to her father Doe Doe and get some more information on the situation, but I haven’t had the chance.
So this isn’t quite a knee jerk reaction, it’s a slow build reaction.
A lot of times kids get blasted for using the transfer portal and jumping from one school to another.
But sometimes, the coaches are more concerned about winning than what their fanbase wants and what their players’ want.
Brooks wasn’t the coach who recruited her, but he has praised her work ethic and being a team player a few times this season.
But in today’s world, winning means more.
The fans of Eastern Kentucky don’t like it.
I know Cassidy was an ambassador for the team and Eastern Kentucky.
Bus loads of little girls all across Eastern Kentucky would go watch Rowe.
I saw three different teams from Eastern Kentucky there to watch her during a random game during her sophomore season.
Rowe during her sophomore season against Ole Miss was electric.
She didn’t get as much playing time as others, but when she was out there she emptied the tank.
High rank recruits were going through the motions and looked like they wanted to be anywhere, but Rupp Arena on that night.
Not Rowe.
She fought every play she was out there and helped fuel a little run, while making a great behind the back pass.
She brought a lot of great attention to the program and so many young girls from Eastern Kentucky got to
see her live out her dream.
With her dream getting crushed, how many other little girls’ who wanted to suit for the Big Blue no longer care?
Cassidy Rowe is one of a kind and we’ll always appreciate what she’s meant to basketball in this state.