Washington Signs Talented Middle Summers
November 14, 2018 | Volleyball
SEATTLE – Washington Head Coach Keegan Cook announced a big part of the future of Husky Volleyball today as Sophie Summers signed with the Dawgs on National Signing Day. Summers, a 6-3 middle blocker ranked in the top-20 among all seniors nationally, will join the Huskies in the fall of 2019.
A native of Portland, Ore. starring for Sunset High School, Summers is ranked 15th in the Senior Aces list produced by PrepVolleyball.com, and sixth on that list among middle blockers.
Summers played for the U.S. Girls Youth National Team in 2016 that took silver at the NORCECA U18 Championships, where she was teammates with current freshman Ella May Powell. Last year, playing for Athena Volleyball Academy, she helped her squad qualify into the 18-Open at USAV Junior Nationals, the highest bracket at the championships. She now plays for North Pacific Juniors.
The day for Summers to put pen to paper has been a long time coming for the Husky coaches, as Summers first committed to UW as a high school freshman. "Sophie is a player closer to home that we've gotten to watch play for a long time and who we can't wait to have in Seattle," he said. "Being a middle in the Pac-12 takes a lot of physicality, and Sophie represents as high an end of physicality as you could hope for. A really impressive athlete on both sides of the ball, offense and defense."
A three-time Metro League First Team selection and First Team All-State in 2017, Summers also has excelled in the classroom, earning the 2018 Metro All-Star Academic Award.
"Sophie is an interesting combination of being extremely enthusiastic off the court and then when she's on the court she's all business," Cook says. "It's interesting to see her personality in those two realms. She's a fun and energetic kid, then on the court she's locked into what she's supposed to do. So I could not be more excited for her senior year of club volleyball and the development she's going to make in these next six months before she arrives."
Summers said despite making an early commitment to Washington, her connection with the program only grew stronger over the years.
"In high school I think we are all just trying to figure out who we are; who we identify as, what and who we want to be. When I was visiting schools during my recruitment freshman year that is exactly what I was looking for," Summers says. "I was trying to figure out where I belonged. A lot of people say, and told me, that freshman year is too early to commit and that there is a danger of growing out of your choice. But, from the moment I stepped on campus I felt that I belonged. I felt like I was at ease. I felt supported, encouraged and like they believed in me. I felt that I was at home. So, when I committed, I knew that even as I changed over the next four years, that my love for Washington would only intensify. You don't outgrow the love you have for your family. Keegan Cook, Leslie, and now Jason have become my family over the past four years and I wouldn't have it any other way.
"I belong at Washington."
A native of Portland, Ore. starring for Sunset High School, Summers is ranked 15th in the Senior Aces list produced by PrepVolleyball.com, and sixth on that list among middle blockers.
Summers played for the U.S. Girls Youth National Team in 2016 that took silver at the NORCECA U18 Championships, where she was teammates with current freshman Ella May Powell. Last year, playing for Athena Volleyball Academy, she helped her squad qualify into the 18-Open at USAV Junior Nationals, the highest bracket at the championships. She now plays for North Pacific Juniors.
Finally.. it's official after almost 4 years :') @UWVolleyball pic.twitter.com/Bl639YSRYt
— Sophia Skye Summers (@skyesummerss) November 15, 2018
The day for Summers to put pen to paper has been a long time coming for the Husky coaches, as Summers first committed to UW as a high school freshman. "Sophie is a player closer to home that we've gotten to watch play for a long time and who we can't wait to have in Seattle," he said. "Being a middle in the Pac-12 takes a lot of physicality, and Sophie represents as high an end of physicality as you could hope for. A really impressive athlete on both sides of the ball, offense and defense."
A three-time Metro League First Team selection and First Team All-State in 2017, Summers also has excelled in the classroom, earning the 2018 Metro All-Star Academic Award.
"Sophie is an interesting combination of being extremely enthusiastic off the court and then when she's on the court she's all business," Cook says. "It's interesting to see her personality in those two realms. She's a fun and energetic kid, then on the court she's locked into what she's supposed to do. So I could not be more excited for her senior year of club volleyball and the development she's going to make in these next six months before she arrives."
Summers said despite making an early commitment to Washington, her connection with the program only grew stronger over the years.
"In high school I think we are all just trying to figure out who we are; who we identify as, what and who we want to be. When I was visiting schools during my recruitment freshman year that is exactly what I was looking for," Summers says. "I was trying to figure out where I belonged. A lot of people say, and told me, that freshman year is too early to commit and that there is a danger of growing out of your choice. But, from the moment I stepped on campus I felt that I belonged. I felt like I was at ease. I felt supported, encouraged and like they believed in me. I felt that I was at home. So, when I committed, I knew that even as I changed over the next four years, that my love for Washington would only intensify. You don't outgrow the love you have for your family. Keegan Cook, Leslie, and now Jason have become my family over the past four years and I wouldn't have it any other way.
"I belong at Washington."
Players Mentioned
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