Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 12 No. 1 | August 2019

inside.hokiesports.com 39 Wilson’s encouragement, she attended the tryout and earned a spot as an alternate among the 213 athletes who tried out for the squad. “I felt it would be an empowering experience for her to go play with the best of the best and realize that she belongs with them,” Wilson said. “But I had to let her make that decision and take some time with her family to talk about it. I was really proud that she went and became an alternate. That’s a big deal. Of course, she was crushed about it—she’s so competitive and strong willed. I kept telling her, ‘No, this is huge. They only pick a couple. You were right behind them. This is great.’” THE FUTURE As for her current squad, Raffety continues to play her role in the Hokies’ quest to rise up the ACC’s pecking order. One of four seniors on the squad, she hopes to lead Tech to an NCAA Championship appearance in her final season. “There is no doubt we can make this a big year,” she said. A sense of finality has started entering into Raffety’s thoughts—her final season, her final match, her graduation with a degree in criminology, and others. Her future holds promise on and off the court, as she contemplates volleyball and a potential career in some form of law enforcement. Her mom plans on returning to Blacksburg this fall to watch her play, cheering and agonizing over every point. Of course, she plans to return in the spring for the university’s commencement ceremony. It’s during times like these, though, when Carol thinks about her father. She thinks about what he missed and what she missed. “I think about him during the big things,” she said. “Those big things, I definitely think about him and what it would be like to have him see me in person. It would be life changing. Day to day, I think about mom, but my dad, yes, of course, the big things. I would love it if he could see it all—and that’s sad. That’s the sad part, but I know he’s watching, and that’s how I have to take it.” That’s a mature answer for a young woman who has overcome a difficult part of her past. Ask her and she thanks Virginia Tech for helping with that—its resources, the coaching staff, her teammates, students, fans. And of course, donors, too. They may not realize it and they may never will, but their investment in her certainly has paid off. GETTING TO KNOW… CAROL RAFFETY Q: What would be your dream vacation? CR: Since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to go to Bora Bora. I love the sun. I love the water. The pictures I’ve seen are so beautiful. It’s just been my dream. Q: If you could play another sport, what would it be? CR: Honestly, tennis. Tennis would be awesome. My uncle told me that if I didn’t play volleyball or wasn’t good at volleyball, then I would have wanted you to play tennis. I think tennis is a great sport, a hard sport, and I just think it’s overall fun to watch. I think those athletes are amazing. Q: What is your favorite movie? CR: I love Marvel movies. I love action. I’d say my favorite movie would be the Avengers. I’m a big superhero fan. I love Ironman, Thor, the Hulk, all of them. Q: What’s on the walls of your room in your apartment/house? CR: I’m a big LeBron [James] fan. I’m not a Lakers fan, but I’m a LeBron fan. I’ve loved LeBron since I was a kid. I have a poster of him in my room. A tapestry is hanging up, but my LeBron poster is my favorite. If I could, I would put a big Fathead of him in my room. He’s my overall idol. Q: What’s your favorite thing about being a Virginia Tech athlete? CR: My volleyball family. Talking about coming across the country, I didn’t think I could have stayed here without them. That is truly why I was able to be happy and settle being so far away from home. Carol Raffety, one of the Hokies’ 2019 captains, ranks sixth on the school’s all-time list for career digs with 1,342 heading into her senior season.