By: Ellis Simon
Apr. 18, 2018

Don’t let Cassandra “Cassie” Lagana’s diminutive stature disarm you. Although she stands all of 4-foot-11 in her stocking feet, she is the top pitcher on Baruch College’s softball team. The two-time CUNYAC All Star is looking to build on her impressive record as the Bearcats play through what will be her third – and final – season, as she plans to graduate early with a 3.72 GPA.

Cassie, who hails from Port Chester, N.Y., in suburban Westchester County, has been playing softball since she was seven. She followed in the footsteps of an older sister, who was also a pitcher, and her brother, who played baseball. At age 12, she started playing in a summer recreation league, and continued through high school.

She played for her high school team, as well, and was team captain for three years, a three-time Section I All Star, and a member of the All-League team five times. “Softball was my entire life from then until now,” she recalled.

While she admits to having been insecure about her height when she was younger, Cassie hasn’t let it get in her way. “The work I put in on the field makes me as competitive as anyone else,” she said. “If I have to put in an extra 150 percent, I’m OK with that.” As a pitcher, having to throw every day helps her build up strength.

When it was time to pick a college, Cassie wasn’t sure where to go, but knew she wanted to stay close to home. An acquaintance recommended that she consider Baruch.

She got in touch with the head softball coach, who invited her to visit and told her about the Macaulay Honors College. “I had a fantastic experience at Baruch and once I was accepted into Macaulay, I knew this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” she said. “It was a no-brainer to come to Baruch.”

Being an honors student, with a major in political science and minors in law & policy and New York City studies, as well as an athlete has helped Cassie hone her time management and organizational skills.

“The biggest thing is staying organized,” she explained. “It’s helpful to know when I will be at practice so I can work my schedule around it and make time for homework, prep time and communicating with my professors so they know when I have a game. My grades will take me where I want to get in life, so if I have to stay awake an extra hour or two, it’s OK.”

Although her 2018 season got off to a rocky start with losses to College of Mount Saint Vincent and SUNY Purchase, she settled down and posted three consecutive wins against York College, Yeshiva University and Brooklyn College: the last two were shutouts.

She is also batting .419 and has 13 stolen bases so far this season. In addition, she was named a CUNYAC Player of the Week in late March and Baruch College Athlete of the Month for March.

“Softball is a game where you make adjustments with every pitch,” she said. “Our whole team has been doing that and we’re picking up our confidence. We're ready to go.”

Cassie’s goal after graduation is to attend law school. In the long term, she hopes to work in human rights advocacy. First, however, she plans to take a year off to travel, and she has been applying for internships and fellowships outside the United States.

Spending a semester abroad in Florence, Italy, piqued her interest in travel, she explained. “It was life changing to experience a different culture. I met amazing people from other schools in the United States and Europe.”

Wherever her travels take her, Cassie Lagana is bound to be a winner.