MSU softball pitcher finds home in Starkville
Before Raelin Chaffin stepped into the pitcher’s circle for Mississippi State, she had her routine annual physical. She felt completely fine—no symptoms, no signs that anything was wrong or out of the ordinary. But her doctor felt a small lump on her neck.
“I told my trainer at State it was just swollen lymph nodes,” Chaffin said. “I didn’t think anything of it.”
But the routine check-up turned into more tests, an ultrasound and then biopsy. Chaffin was diagnosed with Stage 1 thyroid cancer in August. Though caught early, the cancer had already begun to spread to her neck muscles.
“I never thought twice about getting my thyroid checked, and they had never checked it in a physical before,” she said. “Thyroid cancer is so common for young women my age, so I think it’s important to go in for regular check-ups.”
In September, a couple of months before the 2025 season began, Chaffin had her thyroid removed. New to Starkville, the Louisiana State transfer was starting to find her footing in Starkville before leaving for treatment. She spent her recovery time worrying about fitting in and missing more than a month of practice and school.
“I didn’t know anybody here,” she said. “It was a new environment, and I was nervous that by the time I returned after my surgery, everyone would already have these friendships formed, and I would be by myself. But it wasn’t like that. It was the opposite.”
Support poured in. Head Coach Samantha Ricketts and pitching coach Taryne Mowatt-McKinney both made it evident: Chaffin’s health came first. Her teammates sent flowers, covered her locker with encouraging notes and welcomed her back to the team as if she’d never missed a day.
“It was sweet,” Chaffin said. “I just fit right in again.”
That support and camaraderie is what drew Chaffin to Mississippi State in the first place. After spending four seasons with LSU, Chaffin entered the transfer portal for her final collegiate season. She visited six different programs. She swears none felt as right as MSU.
“Coach Ricketts treated me like a person first, then a player. You don’t always find that in the college sports world,” she said. “That’s how they take care of their players. It’s not a business for them. You just don’t see that everywhere.”
After surgery at Ochsner LSU Health in her hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana, Chaffin said she experienced little to no side effects. With the support from her teammates and coaching staff, she returned to Starkville and the mound, regularly undergoing bloodwork to track her hormone levels. She had the best senior season she could have asked for.
“Raelin came in wanting to prove herself and finish her career on her own terms. Even through the hardships she battled, she handled herself with humility and grace,” Ricketts said. “She was a wonderful example for our team of what perseverance in the face of adversity looks like and she led with both her actions and words. I am forever grateful she chose to be a Bulldog and leave her mark on the program in ways that far extend past the softball field.”
Less than six months after her diagnosis and surgery, Chaffin threw 111 pitches in an eight-inning win over eventual national finalist Texas Tech while outdueling the 2025 National Pitcher of the Year on Opening Day. She struck out six batters and allowed no earned runs in her MSU debut.
“She came in on day one ready to make a difference, and that’s exactly what she did,” Mowatt-McKinney said. “The best thing about Rae was her consistency in how she showed up to the field every day and her ability to enjoy the moment as it was happening. You could see the competitive joy in her eyes when she was in a circle. We’re so happy she’s a forever Dawg.”
In her first, and only, season at Mississippi State, Chaffin had the most dominant year of her career as the key player for the Bulldogs. She posted a 23-10 record over 191.1 innings, including a school-record 10 wins in conference play.
“If I had waited a year to get checked, I would not be where I am today in my career,” Chaffin said. “If I had a bad game here, I didn’t get scrutinized. I never got yelled at for making a mistake. When I did make a mistake, Coach Ricketts was always in my corner supporting me.”
After a stellar season, Chaffin was one of 12 players drafted in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, joining fellow senior Bulldog and outfielder Sierra Sacco with The Talons.
Chaffin said she wasn’t positive she would go on to play in the professional league. But now that she’s there, she credits God, her recovery and the Mississippi State community for helping her rise to the moment.
“How I’m performing now is because of the MSU atmosphere,” she said. “It’s how I was coached and why I’m here.”
By Mary Pollitz, Photos by MSU Athletics
Whether based on age, risk factors or family history, receiving the proper preventative healthcare can make the difference between catching a problem in the early, treatable stages or once the damage has been done.
Dr. Katrina Poe, director of Mississippi State’s Longest Student Health Center, explained that preventative care is investing in yourself today to protect your tomorrow.
“Taking care of your health doesn’t just mean seeing a healthcare provider when you’re sick,” Poe explained. “It’s also about preventive measures to protect your health before problems begin. This includes regular check-ups, screenings, vaccinations and healthy lifestyle choices that can help you live a longer, healthier life.”
Poe said having a primary care provider and a baseline understanding of your well-being—such as cholesterol levels, blood pressure and other routinely collected data—can help identify risks to your health.
“Many serious health conditions develop quietly, without obvious symptoms,” Poe explained. “Regular screenings and check-ups can detect these problems early, when they are most treatable.”
What tests are necessary varies from person to person based on their individual physiology, risk factors and predisposition to certain illnesses. Preventive health care includes:
- Annual check-ups and wellness visits
- Blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes screenings
- Cancer screenings
- Immunizations and boosters
- Counseling on diet, exercise, sleep and stress
- Dental and eye exams
Poe said you should consult with your primary care provider to determine what screenings are appropriate for you, and when and at what frequency they should be done.
Many insurance providers cover 100% of preventative care and screenings—sometimes called wellness visits. Consult your healthcare provider and individual insurance plan to determine what screenings are right for you and at what rate they will be covered.