As legendary Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden once said, “You cannot build character in my opinion, except through adversity. Those who have no character …they’re going to wilt right by the wayside.”
One player who has experienced the ultimate form of adversity during her collegiate soccer career is redshirt senior defender Claire Rain. The Tampa native became a Seminole in 2023 after transferring from Tennessee and has experienced a journey that was far from ordinary during her college career.
Life throws twists and turns you never expect. During Rain’s first game at FSU, her life took a turn that no collegiate athlete is prepared for: The Seminoles hit the road to play Texas A&M in the 2023 season opener on Aug. 17 and, 13 minutes into the game, Rain went down with a catastrophic knee injury. The Seminoles went on to defeat the Aggies 2-1 but lost Rain for the season. Rain didn’t just hurt her left knee, she tore her ACL, MCL, lateral and medial meniscus, patellar tendon and ruptured her posterior capsule.
“I was devastated. At that time I thought it was just my ACL, but the way I felt and wasn’t able to walk or strain out my leg, I knew it was something severe,” Rain said. “With the severe injury that I had, there were definitely a lot of doubts if I would even be able to play soccer again, let alone just get my knee back into a normal working knee. Athletes have a very determined mind. I’m an athlete and I thought I could get this, no sweat. Boy, was I wrong.
“My teammates, friends and family were always there for me on my hardest days. It was not just a physical battle, it was a mental battle and having the support system that I had was a huge help because with not being eligible for three seasons, it takes away a spot on the team.”
Rain would miss the 2024 season to rehab her knee. The following year, Rain would play a total of 11 minutes in two games, one being the final minute in the quarterfinals against Ohio State on Nov. 28 and the other against Samford in the first round. Being able to finally get back on the field is a feeling Rain will never forget.
“It was the most rewarding feeling I have honestly ever felt,” Rain said. “I was on cloud nine because of all of those hard days and moments, I wouldn’t trade it for anything because it made me appreciate the game and everything that goes into it so much more. I was crying at the end. But it was a very magical night for me.”
During her time rehabbing and being away from the field, Rain focused on her academics. After graduating with her degree in media communication studies in 2024, she made the pivot towards graduate school. Rain is on track to graduate with her masters in media communication studies in December, something she never planned for.
“I had extra eligibility, so I had two more years left and I already graduated,” Rain said. “So I was like, ‘Well, looks like I’m getting my masters.’ And I really enjoyed this masters because with the communication degree, you didn’t really get that much hands-on classes so I thought this masters program was perfect for me and that was something I was very interested in.”
Now entering her sixth collegiate year with no eligibility remaining after the season, the journey Rain went through is one filled with ups and downs, but now she’s entered her last ride as a college athlete.
Rain will be a critical piece of FSU’s team as the Seminoles open the 2026 season with an exhibition against Sporting Jax on Friday at 7 p.m. before diving into the regular season next week at Stetson.
“Hats off to her. Credit to her. Been crazy,” FSU coach Brian Pensky said. “She was in my office yesterday and we were talking about just that and it’s wild to think that was Aug. 17, 2023. You think literally that is two weeks away from being three years. Long, long road and she feels great. She wants to play so badly. … She doesn’t need to go be a super woman. She’s got to do her job and do it well, and then she’s going to give herself a chance. She’s really embraced that and she’s given her self a chance. We tease her a lot because we have three or four 17-year-olds on the team and she’s 24. Hoping for good things for her. She deserves it.”
Rain went through a global pandemic in high school, transferred to Florida State after being at Tennessee, suffered a terrible injury in the first game, all to come out of those experiences with a masters degree, national championships and a healed left knee. Through adversity, Rain accomplished great things and her experience as a Seminole will be with her for the rest of her life. Rain didn’t wilt, she dug in and showed how much of a strong and determined woman she really is.
“You learn so much about yourself,” Rain said. “I look back during those hard times and I feel it’s really shaped me as a person and I’m so grateful for it. If I'm ever having a bad day, I remember two years ago when I couldn’t even walk without crutches, so it really changes my perspective because it could always be worse. That pushes me every day to be the best I can because this is something I’ve worked three years for.”
Rain’s story is an inspiration and one that is worth telling. What she has endured in her life may inspire young girls with hopes and aspirations of being a collegiate soccer player and to never give up when adversity strikes. The Seminole spirit lives within Rain and occupies every part of her soul not just as a player, but as a person.
Rain is someone who fought back when adversity struck. It takes character to do that. She showed the world that she has the type of perseverance and persistence that says, I can, I will and I must.
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