VLORË, Albania— Earlier this week, former Montreat women's basketball star Caleigh Raby signed a professional contract with BC Flamurtari in Vlorë, Albania, extending her basketball playing career and giving her the opportunity to pursue a lifelong aspiration.
 
"I gave it all to God and prayed for this opportunity," Raby shared. "I knew from the start that I wanted to take my career to the highest level of competition that I could achieve and chase my dream."
 
Raby joins BC Flamurtari after the club had an incredibly successful 2021-22 campaign in Albania's top professional division, Superliga. Not only did Flamurtari cruise to its third straight Superliga regular-season title, but it also coasted through the playoffs to win its second consecutive league championship. Flamurtari also played in Liga Unike, a European league featuring professional teams from Albania and Kosovo, during the 2021-22 season. There, Flamurtari finished as runner-up in the regular-season standings before falling in the Liga Unike semifinals.
 
A native of Hudson, N.C., Raby was not only the Cavaliers' top scorer in 2021-22, but she was also one of the most consistent producers on both ends of the floor in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC). Her 17.1 points per game ranked fifth in the AAC, and her 1.5 steals per game tied for the 12^th-most in the conference. With Raby's added production on the glass (3.3 RPG) and her knack for passing the basketball (1.7 APG), she earned Second Team All-AAC honors for the second straight year.
 
On Dec. 4, 2021, Raby etched her name into the Cavs' record book by scoring the 1,000^th point of her Montreat women's basketball career. The sharpshooter drilled a three early in the first quarter to hit the milestone. Raby went on to finish her Cavalier career with 1,352 points, placing her fourth on Montreat women's basketball's all-time scoring list.
 
"I am very blessed and excited to be able to continue my basketball career at the next level," Raby added.
 
Raby looks forward to beginning her professional playing career this fall while also helping BC Flamurtari in its hunt for a third-consecutive Superliga title.