Heather Cassady plays with the tenacity of a bulldog at times. But that's okay. That's why she is a favorite among the fans of the Indiana Hoosiers. This ferocious spark is what Cassady contributes as the starting point guard for the team.

A resident of Peoria, Ill., Cassady was destined to play sports. She grew up as a tomboy, playing with boys in her neighborhood. She had little choice, since there were no girls to play with. When it came to sports, she also received a lot of advice from her father, who was a collegiate football player. "Without his advice and confidence, I never would have made it this far in a million years," says Cassady. "He is always there to pick me up and push me when I need to be pushed." She also credits her coach, Kathi Bennett, for her constant belief in her and genuine love for the game.

Cassady is the first Lady Hoosier to score 1,200 points and dish out 375 assists. She ranks in the top 10 of Indiana's career scoring chart. But being voted the most valuable player by her teammates may be her biggest collegiate accomplishment to date. "It means a lot to me to have my team think that highly of my performance," she says. "I try and give them everything I have all the time, and it was a great feeling to see that they thought of me in that way."

Senior Cassady relishes in her role as point guard. "I love being in charge on the court and leading by example ... pulling my teammates together. It's something I have worked hard for and take pride in," she explains.

Cassady is majoring in sports marketing and management and plans to pursue this as a career. "I am a competitor, so I plan to stay close to sports for the rest of my life. This summer I plan to work in the marketing department for the Indiana Fever or work at the National Institute for Fitness and Strength in Indianapolis, Ind.