Player Profile: Cayla Thomas

By Hannah Pasquarella

Knightly News Reporter

hannah.pasquarella@mymail.centralpenn.edu

Cayla Thomas, a junior criminal justice major, is a returning player on the Central Penn women’s basketball team. Thomas played basketball for her team at North Stafford High School, and grew up in Stafford, Virginia.

“I started playing when I was 6 years old. One day, I was playing basketball at my elementary school with my family, and a youth basketball coach came up to me and asked me if I wanted to play for his team. To make a long story short, I’ve been playing basketball ever since,” Thomas said.

Thomas plays point guard for the team this season, her third with the Knights. She is no stranger to positive basketball accomplishments, though, as she was also a high school team captain and was awarded an MVP honor in middle school. Another significant accomplishment for Thomas was helping the Knights make it into the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National Tournament during the 2022-23 campaign.

All athletic careers come with ups and downs.

“My freshman year (at Central Penn College), I sprained my thumb on my dominant hand, and it was hard for me to play,” Thomas said. “I’ve never dealt with a serious injury like that when it came to basketball.”

But she remained determined and returned strong at the end of her first season.

Kobe Bryant and Caitlin Clark are among her biggest inspirations during her basketball career. Thomas shared that she thinks Clark is a positive role model for women basketball players because her exceptional talent has helped the WNBA reach heights it has never seen before.

Thomas strives to be a leader on the team this year. During her 2023-2024 season, Thomas averaged 9.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Even with a skill for creating turnovers for the Knights, her short-term goal for the upcoming season is to “enhance my defensive skills and increase my overall shooting accuracy from the field.”

A long-term goal for Thomas is to play overseas, which can be achieved by playing at higher levels and finding an agent who works well with an athlete’s overall goals. Hopes are high for the women’s basketball team this season after a record of 9-15 during the 2023-24 campaign. With returning players like Thomas, the future outlook is bright for the Lady Knights.