FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (June 30, 2021) – Next up in the Northern Arizona volleyball Q&A series with the incoming freshmen is
Sophia Wadsworth, a 5-11 opposite hitter out of Scottsdale Christian Academy. The Scottsdale native was a four-time 2A All-Region honoree and earned the state's 2A Conference and Metro Region Player of the Year honor in her final season last fall.
Q: What is the one thing that excites you most about joining the NAU Volleyball program?
A: I'm super excited to be a part of an amazing atmosphere. All of the girls I've met on the team have been welcoming and they're getting me excited to be part of an amazing team. The coaches are also amazing. When I was looking at schools, I knew these coaches are different and they want me to succeed. They care about me as a player and a person.
Q: How would you describe yourself as a volleyball player?
A: I'm an aggressive player. I always want to get a big swing or a big block. I love encouraging my teammates and giving them energy so they can perform better.
Q: If you weren't playing volleyball, what sport would you be playing?
A: I played basketball before I started playing volleyball, but I wasn't very good. But I'd probably do that since I'm taller.
Q: What have you learned from your father, who played in the NFL, about what it takes to be a high-caliber athlete?
A: My dad has always told me that hard work pays off. The amount of time you spend in the gym, the hours that you put into your sport pays off. He tells me to keep working hard because I'll achieve all of my goals through hard work.
Q: You enjoy watching movies, so what are your top five favorite movies?
A: Marvel's Endgame, Inception with Leonardo DiCaprio, the Princess and the Frog is one of my favorite Disney movies. I really like Spider-Man and I'd have to go Titanic. I could honestly watch movies at any time, but I don't mess with scary movies.
Q: Speaking of the Avengers, who is your favorite Avenger?
A: I'm going to have to go with Captain America. He'll always be my favorite. I'll also put the first Captain America on my movie list.
Q: What are you planning to major in and why?
A: I've gone back and forth. I was planning on being a business major, but maybe I kind of want to be a dentist so maybe the dental hygienist route. But we'll see because my mind changes every day.
Q: You were part of four state championship teams at Scottsdale Christian Academy. What is the recipe, in your opinion, for a successful championship team?
A: Those four years that I played in my high school, we were all super close and we were all best friends. We did everything together, we had a lot of team bonding and we all trusted each other. We also had a lot of good talent on the team which allowed us to win four state championships.
Q: You list your most exciting event as a one-week trip to Puerto Rico. What did you enjoy the most about Puerto Rico?
A: We went last year around this time. It was so relaxing. It was nice to get out and go to the beach, hang out and surf.
Q: What is one fun fact about yourself?
A: Last year, I spent 10 days in Ecuador on a mission trip serving a bunch of school-aged children (K-8). I really liked to have the opportunity to help the kids down there.
Sophia Wadsworth At a Glance
Height: 5-11
Position: Opposite Hitter
Hometown: Scottsdale, Ariz.
High School: Scottsdale Christian Academy
Stats to Know: Helped team win 117 games and four 2A Arizona State Championships in high school
What Head Coach Ken Murphy is saying: Sophia is a very talented player and a perfect fit for us on the right side. She is a fast, explosive athlete who attacks high above the net and has a fast arm. She will get to NAU with an advanced skillset, but she still has a lot of room to develop and I really think she has the ability to become a dominant player at this level. Sophia is also humble and mature and very focused on her contributions to the team. I think she will become an important leader for us and I'm excited see all the ways that she will impact our program.
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Previous Class of 2021 Q&A's
June 10 – Kacee Moore
