Rayfield shoots, scores, succeeds
Jordan Tickell
Issue date: 12/4/09 Section: Sports
While most Florida Southern students spent their Thanksgiving breaks counting the blessings in their lives with family at home while enjoying the traditional holiday dinner, junior guard Rion Rayfield was celebrating the holiday in a different way: four games in six days.
Entering the 2009-2010 season, Rayfield was seven successful three-point field goals shy of becoming the all-time record holder at FSC. He set the mark last Wednesday against St. Ambrose in the Jenkins Field House.
What makes this record even more remarkable is the hardships that Rayfield has faced physically during his career as a Moc, including beginning this season by recovering from the after effects of a broken foot.
"I had a broken foot and it feels really good right now, so hopefully it stays healthy throughout the season," Rayfield said.
Rewind fifteen years and you could find Rayfield practicing hand drills with his father in small town Wisconsin at the age of six.
As he grew older, so did his explosive talent. He admits his love for putting on a crowd pleasing spectacle.
"I remember my first trip to the Wisconsin State Basketball Tournament and thinking it was the coolest thing in the world having all these people to play in front of."
So what brought this Wisconsin boy to the shores of Lake Hollingsworth?
"I came to FSC because I was recruited by former assistant coach Randall Herbst," Rayfield said. "I came down to visit the school a week before the year started and liked it, so I decided to come here"
The prolific point guard has made quite the impact in his tenure at FSC.
In 2006, Rayfield managed to avoid the usual first year pitfalls and became the first true freshman to start at point guard in a season opener for the Mocs since 1986.
After an illness forced him to be redshirted that same season, he stormed back into the spotlight in 2007 and became the Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year. He also posted the third highest scoring average for a freshman in school history.
Entering the 2009-2010 season, Rayfield was seven successful three-point field goals shy of becoming the all-time record holder at FSC. He set the mark last Wednesday against St. Ambrose in the Jenkins Field House.
What makes this record even more remarkable is the hardships that Rayfield has faced physically during his career as a Moc, including beginning this season by recovering from the after effects of a broken foot.
"I had a broken foot and it feels really good right now, so hopefully it stays healthy throughout the season," Rayfield said.
Rewind fifteen years and you could find Rayfield practicing hand drills with his father in small town Wisconsin at the age of six.
As he grew older, so did his explosive talent. He admits his love for putting on a crowd pleasing spectacle.
"I remember my first trip to the Wisconsin State Basketball Tournament and thinking it was the coolest thing in the world having all these people to play in front of."
So what brought this Wisconsin boy to the shores of Lake Hollingsworth?
"I came to FSC because I was recruited by former assistant coach Randall Herbst," Rayfield said. "I came down to visit the school a week before the year started and liked it, so I decided to come here"
The prolific point guard has made quite the impact in his tenure at FSC.
In 2006, Rayfield managed to avoid the usual first year pitfalls and became the first true freshman to start at point guard in a season opener for the Mocs since 1986.
After an illness forced him to be redshirted that same season, he stormed back into the spotlight in 2007 and became the Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year. He also posted the third highest scoring average for a freshman in school history.
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