Point Loma Nazarene University’s women’s volleyball team has advanced to the Elite 8 after defeating Fresno Pacific last week in the West Regional Championship, and there have been a few key players on the squad to propel them to this point. Garnering success and awards this season is third-year setter Sophia Baugh, who has won PacWest Player of the Week three times this season.
Baugh, from Poulsbo, Wash., grew up watching her older sister, Sarah, play volleyball. She said watching her play inspired her to try the sport.
In high school, Baugh was named First Team All-State setter twice, league MVP, Female Athlete of the Year and won the league championship twice. After visiting PLNU, she said it felt like a no-brainer to make the move to San Diego.
“The moment I stepped onto Point Loma’s campus, I knew I belonged here,” Baugh said. “The campus felt like a dream, the coaching staff were very intentional, and the girls were incredibly welcoming … I wanted to grow my relationship with the Lord in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.”
In her three seasons at PLNU, Baugh is well-accomplished. In her first season, she led the team in assists, earned American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American and All-West Region Honorable Mention honors. This season and last, she was named All-PacWest First Team. She is leading the West Region in assists per set with 11.4.
Baugh sees her personal success as a result of the people around her, just as much as of the work she’s put in.
“What feels best about my game is the trust that I’ve built with both my passers and my hitters,” Baugh said. “Demanding more from someone is one skill, but being able to take that same demand and use it to get better is a whole different skill. That is something I’m truly proud of in my game.”
Head Coach Jonathan Scott has watched Baugh progress and attributes her success to her intentionality in improving.
“She has an amazing balance in her personality of being both fun-loving and extremely competitive at the same time,” Scott said. “I’m maybe not supposed to have favorites, but she is one of my all-time faves.”
Despite the accolades Baugh has accumulated in a short time span, it’s not the accomplishments and success that resonate most with her. The team drives each other, and according to Baugh, that’s evident in what they do with each other on and off the court.
“The highlight of my career at Point Loma isn’t just the volleyball, it’s the hotel rooms where my connections with the girls have grown,” Baugh said. “That’s where we played many card games, watched movies and most importantly, had deep, intentional conversations that brought us closer. These moments mean more to me than anything that we do on the court.”
Beyond the physical attributes and skills Baugh has, she said her competitiveness is also a driving factor behind her success on the court. The main goal and drive behind her playing is to accomplish the dream of winning a national title. She said it’s what drives the team as a whole, and they’re a few matches away from achieving that goal, as the Sea Lions just captured their first regional title in program history.
PLNU volleyball is now headed to Sioux Falls, S.D., to compete for a national title. The rest of the tournament will be played from Dec. 11-13. Game times are to be determined.
Cole Cissna