Northwestern University Athletics
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern Volleyball Welcomes Sophia Summers
5/28/2024 9:15:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Middle blocker appeared in 63 matches during time at Washington
EVANSTON, Ill. (May 28, 2024) – Northwestern head volleyball coach Tim Nollan announced the addition of transfer Sophia Summers (Portland, Ore./Sunset/Washington) to his roster on Tuesday. Summers arrives at Northwestern from the University of Washington, where she was a member of four NCAA Tournament teams with the Huskies, advancing to the NCAA Final Four in 2020-21.
"I am beyond excited to welcome Sophia to the Wildcat family," Nollan said. "Sophia brings elite NCAA experience to our program and will have an immediate impact. Her maturity and experience, both on the court and in life, will help push this program in our quest for excellence. I am confident Sophia will quickly become a fan favorite at Welsh-Ryan Arena."
During her time in the Pacific Northwest, Summers appeared in 179 sets across 63 matches. The 6-foot-3 middle blocker averaged 1.30 kills per set, hitting at a .385 clip, while adding 0.80 blocks per set on the defensive side of the net.
Summers was a fixture in the Washington lineup during her senior season in 2022, starting in all 31 matches. She posted career-best numbers in both kills (158; 1.36 k/s) and blocks (101; 0.87 b/s) as the Huskies closed the regular season at 20-10 overall (12-8 Pac-12) to secure an NCAA Tournament berth. Summers impressed on both sides of the net, hammering seven-plus kills in 11 matches, while putting up five or more blocks on eight separate occasions. She finished the season as the Huskies' leader in blocks and ranked second on the team with a .358 attack percentage.
As a junior, Summers saw her role increase, appearing in 18 matches as she averaged 1.40 kills per set while hitting a red-hot 0.489 from the floor. The Portland, Ore. native also added 0.68 blocks per set as Washington stormed to a second straight Pac-12 title, finishing 26-5 (17-3 Pac-12), and advanced on to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen.
After redshirting as a freshman in 2019, Summers saw action in 14 matches during the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign. She added 0.78 kills per set and 0.78 blocks per set as the Huskies enjoyed a magical run to the Pac-12 regular season title and a berth in the NCAA Final Four, closing the year at 20-4 overall (17-3 Pac-12).
Summers was regarded as one of the top middle blockers in the nation coming out of Sunset High School in Portland, Ore. She was tabbed No. 15 on PrepVolleyball.com's Senior Aces list and was also named to the Fab 50 list by Volleyball Magazine. Summers, a three-time All-State selection during her time with the Apollos, played on the United States Girls Youth National Team that claimed the silver medal at the 2016 NORCECA U18 Championships.
"I am beyond excited to welcome Sophia to the Wildcat family," Nollan said. "Sophia brings elite NCAA experience to our program and will have an immediate impact. Her maturity and experience, both on the court and in life, will help push this program in our quest for excellence. I am confident Sophia will quickly become a fan favorite at Welsh-Ryan Arena."
During her time in the Pacific Northwest, Summers appeared in 179 sets across 63 matches. The 6-foot-3 middle blocker averaged 1.30 kills per set, hitting at a .385 clip, while adding 0.80 blocks per set on the defensive side of the net.
Summers was a fixture in the Washington lineup during her senior season in 2022, starting in all 31 matches. She posted career-best numbers in both kills (158; 1.36 k/s) and blocks (101; 0.87 b/s) as the Huskies closed the regular season at 20-10 overall (12-8 Pac-12) to secure an NCAA Tournament berth. Summers impressed on both sides of the net, hammering seven-plus kills in 11 matches, while putting up five or more blocks on eight separate occasions. She finished the season as the Huskies' leader in blocks and ranked second on the team with a .358 attack percentage.
As a junior, Summers saw her role increase, appearing in 18 matches as she averaged 1.40 kills per set while hitting a red-hot 0.489 from the floor. The Portland, Ore. native also added 0.68 blocks per set as Washington stormed to a second straight Pac-12 title, finishing 26-5 (17-3 Pac-12), and advanced on to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen.
After redshirting as a freshman in 2019, Summers saw action in 14 matches during the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign. She added 0.78 kills per set and 0.78 blocks per set as the Huskies enjoyed a magical run to the Pac-12 regular season title and a berth in the NCAA Final Four, closing the year at 20-4 overall (17-3 Pac-12).
Summers was regarded as one of the top middle blockers in the nation coming out of Sunset High School in Portland, Ore. She was tabbed No. 15 on PrepVolleyball.com's Senior Aces list and was also named to the Fab 50 list by Volleyball Magazine. Summers, a three-time All-State selection during her time with the Apollos, played on the United States Girls Youth National Team that claimed the silver medal at the 2016 NORCECA U18 Championships.
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