Conference tournaments are about basketball but also so much more: the fans, parents, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The CAA Tournament tips off this week in Washington, DC, and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD will be covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of articles in the week ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage with an interview of Charleston cheerleader Peyton Raybon.
You are from Mount Pleasant, SC: what made you choose Charleston? I chose the College of Charleston to stay close to my family. We are all so close so it is a blessing to see them as often as I do!
In 2020 you were tear-gassed by police at a protest: what impact did that experience have on you? Getting tear-gassed in Marion Square gave me feelings very similar to the Emmanuel AME shooting back in 2015: you never think it is going to happen in your hometown until it does. Charleston is just as tainted by hate and it is up to my generation to keep pushing for change.
In 2021 your team was named Intermediate Small Co-Ed D-1 National Champions at the National Cheerleaders Association Collegiate National Championship: where does that rank among the highlights of your career so far? Winning Nationals in 2021 is at the top of my list! It was an absolute honor to contribute to CofC’s first cheer national championship in school history, especially since we worked so incredibly hard to get there.
You are majoring in exercise science: how did you choose that subject? I chose exercise science because I looked up to my athletic trainers in high school. They contributed to wellness and happiness during my high school athletic career, and it caused me to want to do the same in the future.
What is the post-graduation plan? I plan to take a gap year before applying for my Master’s in athletic training!
You made the school’s honors list last semester: how do you balance your work in the classroom with your work on the cheer team? I basically try to plan out every hour of my day to make sure that I am always using my time wisely! My teammates also do a fantastic job of holding me accountable and always helping me out whenever I need it.
1 of your hobbies is reading: any book recommendations? I am a big fan of romances, especially those that feature LGBTQ+ characters! I recommend anything written by Casey McQuiston or Ali Hazelwood.
Last year you got to experience a legendary 31-win basketball season: did you get to cheer during the CAA title game win over UNCW and/or the NCAA tourney loss to San Diego State? I had the honor of getting to travel to March Madness in Orlando! It was so tough losing to San Diego State but the whole experience was so much fun! That is the biggest crowd that I have ever cheered in front of: it was electric.
What has been the best part of this season: beating Liberty in Florida, the Senior Night win over Hofstra last Saturday, other? My senior night went over Hofstra was 1 of the best parts of this season. It was so fun to watch the basketball team have such a confidence boost with a great win over Hofstra, and I really use that game to outweigh any bittersweet moments. Not a lot compares to cheering in TD Arena!
The Cougars are the #1 seed in the CAA tourney: any predictions? I predict that we are going to be back-to-back CAA Tournament Champions!