Before the stats and the position titles, Rajayla McBride is just a girl from Moultrie, Georgia, who fell in love with movement, running, jumping, chasing, and competing. Sports gave her structure, but it also gave her freedom. On the field, she learned how to trust herself. Off the field, she learned how to keep going even when things felt unfamiliar.
Coming to Alcorn State University (ASU) was a leap of faith. New state, new people, new expectations. As a Freshman centerfielder, McBride is still learning the rhythms of college life, early practices, long days of classes, and late nights of studying Biology after her body is already tired. But she shows up anyway. Not because it’s easy, but because she knows why she’s here.
McBride majors in Biology on the Pre–Physical Therapy track, a choice rooted in her curiosity about how the body works and her desire to help others recover and grow stronger. Athletics taught her how fragile and resilient the human body can be, and that lesson stuck. What she learns in the classroom connects directly to what she experiences on the field, every sprint, every stretch, and every moment of fatigue.
Back home, she built her confidence through competition. She earned First Team All-Conference in Georgia, placed 7th in the state in Triple Jump, and competed with the GADC Dugout Club in Atlanta. Still, McBride doesn’t lead with accolades. She’d rather be known for her work ethic, her openness, and the way she treats people. She enjoys meeting new teammates, listening more than she speaks, and finding her place without rushing the process.
In center field, her speed and instincts hint at what’s ahead. But what makes her special isn’t just potential, it’s patience. She understands growth takes time. Every practice rep, every class she pushes through, every quiet moment of doubt she overcomes is shaping her into more than an athlete.
At Alcorn, Rajayla McBride is becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. She’s learning who she is away from home, who she wants to be for her team, and how to carry her dreams with humility. She’s not chasing headlines yet, she’s building herself. And sometimes, that’s the most powerful story of all.