John, Tucker and Sarah Cain have all donned jersey Number 45 during their playing days at Bryan College at Dayton, Tennessee.  As of yesterday, the youngest of the Cain family athletes, Anna, signed to carry on that tradition and to continue her volleyball career at the collegiate level at BC.

John, the oldest of the Cain children, first wore jersey Number 45.  Tuck did, too, and Sarah followed suit; both boys in baseball and Sarah in basketball.  Tucker and Sarah are former Campbell Cougars though  they did not wear the number 45 until college.

TOP PHOTO:  Fittingly, Cain cookies were served up to the many attending Thursday afternoon’s signing.

Anna explains to WLAF, “I like the idea of being able to carry on the family number.  I really like the number.  I never thought I would (with a laugh).”

John has graduated, and Tucker will in the spring.  But Sarah will be a junior when Anna arrives on campus next fall.

Sarah, blue shirt, is surrounded by her CCHS teammates.

“Nope.  Probably not.”- Sarah’s quick answer when asked if Anna would room with her.  She said, “I’ve got a great roommate right now, and I’m not letting her go.”  And about when Anna gave up basketball a season ago, Sarah adds, “Just seeing her grow into the volleyball player that she is today after making that switch is something that she needed.  And it was important to her.  I’m glad it worked out, and I had no doubt in my mind that she was going to be where she is today.”

Bryan Head Volleyball Coach Jessica Day said, “Anna’s been on our radar for going on for almost four years now.”  Day has known the Cains dating back to John’s playing days with her husband at BC and is grateful to have Anna as she rounds out the Cain family.  Anna will have a chance to earn a starting position in her first season next year, according to Day.

“Though I won’t be there to experience her being at Bryan, but I’m very excited for her to be there.  I think she has found BC to be a place where she can be herself to kind of have someone there in Sarah to look up to and be led by, but at the same time have her own life and have her own thing.”

Mom, Melissa, and dad, Mark, look on as Anna Cain signs for BC.

“Anna is a coach’s dream,” said Lady Cougar Head Volleyball Coach Renee Wormsley.  She remembers Anna’s very first year as a freshman when she came to her asking what she needed to do to be an important player and a better player.  Wormsley said, “She is going to excel in college, because very few young people have a work ethic like Anna Cain.”

As of yesterday, add Anna Cain to the Lion Pride of Bryan College and the Cain family tradition of jersey Number 45.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 11/16/2018-6AM)