GV softball’s Sophia Medellin commits to Cal Berkeley

Golden Valley's Sophia Medellin (12) waits for the ball and makes the tag at second base on Lancaster baserunner Alvssa Tami (3) at Golden Valley on Wednesday. Dan Watson/The Signal
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As a kid, Golden Valley shortstop and third baseman Sophia Medellin always dreamed of playing collegiate ball for Pac-12 schools like University of California, Berkeley or UCLA.

Making her dreams into reality after being part of the history-making Grizzlies team that won a program-best 18 games in 2017, Medellin has committed to Cal Berkeley.

“It’s actually a wild feeling,” Medellin said. “It’s hard to process it and I’m just in awe that I got accepted into Berkeley.

Playing in a tournament for club team So Cal Choppers 18U Gold Team, Medellin received news that Berkeley coaches were coming to watch her play. They liked what they saw and got in contact with assistant coach Michelle Granger, informing her that they were interested in Medellin.

Medellin was ecstatic.

Taking an unofficial visit to Berkeley with her uncle in mid-November, Medellin met up with some of the Berkeley coaching staff and fell in love with the campus and the Cal culture, committing to play for them later that day.

“I feel very lucky to be able to play at one of my number one schools,” she said.

Rounding out her senior year at Golden Valley Medellin initially wanted to study medicine, but quickly realized that that was not the academic path she wanted to take.

“I took biology my sophomore year and I did good, but I didn’t really enjoy it that much,” Medellin said.

Enthralled with health and fitness, Medellin ultimately decided to study and major in Health Food Services and Nutrition.

Taking her official visit to Berkeley later this month, Medellin is anxious to get on campus and join former So Cal Choppers teammate Makena Smith.

“She was out catcher last year,” Medellin said. “When I found out that she was playing for Berkeley, it was an automatic ‘yes.’ She’s such a good player.”

Approaching the game more enhanced and more focused for her senior season, Medellin hopes to build off the stellar year she had playing for the Grizzlies after logging 30 hits, 38 RBIs and eight home runs in 56 at-bats to finish her junior year with a .536 batting average.

“Sophie would be at the top of the list as far as one of the greatest young women I have ever been so privileged to coach,” said Grizzlies coach Daniel Soto via text message.

“She comes first to practice every day and the first things she does, without being asked, is to grab a field tool and immediately starts on whatever her field maintenance assignment is for that day with a smile on her face.”

Medellin and the Grizzlies begin their season hosting Knight at 3:15 p.m. on Feb. 12th.

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