Sophie Zerrouki commits to play volleyball at Emory University

By Fred Kroner

Sophie Zerrouki’s dream of playing college volleyball started at the same time she began learning the sport.

She was in fourth grade.

In the eight years that followed, Zerrouki switched club programs and underwent a transition with a new head coach at Mahomet-Seymour High School. She also went through the recruiting process simultaneously to COVID-19 making travel and college visits harder than anticipated.

“Covid-19 definitely made the recruiting process a lot more difficult than I had initially perceived it to be,” Zerrouki said. “Although I wasn’t able to attend many tournaments, visits, or camps during quarantine, I made sure to stay in touch with coaches in any way possible: emailing them, calling them, and texting them.

“Going through the recruiting process during the pandemic was discouraging at times, but my recruiting assistant and family were with me every step of the way.”

Stan Bergman’s arrival as the Mahomet-Seymour volleyball coach in 2019 – prior to Zerrouki’s sophomore season – coincided with her ability to see college volleyball as a viable option.

“It wasn’t until my sophomore year that I started taking steps to achieve my dream, and I started with tons of research,” Zerrouki said. “I knew I wanted to go to an academically rigorous university, but I also wanted the balance of having a competitive volleyball team.

“I eventually narrowed it down by talking to lots of coaches and getting a feel for their programs, and Emory ended up checking all of the boxes and more.”

Last week, Zerrouki was one of three M-S athletes to participate in a college signing ceremony at the high school.

She will be headed to Emory University, in Atlanta, next year.

“Most people don’t know this, but I actually signed a fake piece of paper on my signing day,” Zerrouki said. “Because Emory is so selective, I can’t sign my letter of intent until I receive my acceptance letter from the school in December.

“However, this didn’t make the experience any less fun or emotional, I still had an amazing time.”

Zerrouki realizes it will be a huge transition from the halls of Mahomet-Seymour – where there are around 1,000 students – to a community with almost 500,000 residents and to a university with an enrollment of about 15,000.

“I foresee it being a difficult adjustment at first, but once I become accustomed to life in Atlanta, I’m positive that I will love every minute of it,” Zerrouki said. “Moving across the country is going to be a leap of faith, but it’s definitely one worth taking.”

Bergman believes Zerrouki is ready to venture out.

“Sophie is a self-motivator, so she is at the mercy of her own light switch,” Bergman said. “When she wants something, she studies and is determined to overcome the obstacle.

“She is very dedicated to her grades and her interest in the political world, so going to Emory is a great fit for her.”

Zerrouki’s only other official visit was to Washington University, in St. Louis.

“As soon as I toured the Emory campus and had the chance to work with the coaching staff, I knew that it was the perfect fit for me,” she said.

Her senior season with the Bulldogs was the best one of her high school years. Playing for the team which set a season record for victories (31), Zerrouki led M-S in blocks (79) and hitting percentage (49.8 percent). She landed 142 kills.

Her blocks total is the third-best mark on the school’s all-time single-season leaders’ list. Zerrouki was selected as the Bulldogs’ Offensive Player of the Year.

“This past season was by far my favorite season in my MSHS volleyball career,” Zerrouki said. “We had such an amazing bond that made it so much fun to be a part of the team, both on and off the court.

“I’ve definitely felt a lot of improvement in both my mental and physical game since my sophomore year. I’ve grown more confident as a player and I’ve gotten a lot more dominant and aggressive at the net.”

Zerrouki is able to adapt to whatever is needed at any given time.

“I consider my strengths to be my mental toughness and ability to keep my composure in stressful situations,” she added.

She was a key player in Bergman’s rotation.

“Sophie’s athleticism and experience really helped the team’s success this year with her blocking and her favorite offensive play, the shoot,” Bergman said.

In her younger years, the 6-foot middle-hitter also played basketball and soccer.

“Neither of them quite clicked for me like volleyball did,” Zerrouki said. “After I started playing club in seventh-grade, I had to give up both soccer and basketball, but it was never a difficult decision for me because I knew I belonged on the volleyball court.”

Zerrouki has mapped out a general plan she would like to see her life take in her post-volleyball years.

“Although it isn’t set in stone yet, I plan to major in something along the lines of political science/public policy on the pre-law track with a possible minor in public health or anthropology,” she said. “However, I’m still keeping my options open as I’m fascinated by many different subjects.

“In 10 years, I see myself completing clerkships at various court levels and law firms after I graduate from law school.”

She is grateful to have come under Bergman’s tutelage.

“Coach Bergman has helped me by always pushing me to work harder and improve every single day in practice,” Zerrouki said. “He designs our practices to be very intense and productive and that’s really helped me build endurance and become a stronger player overall, both mentally and physically.”

For now, she is preparing for a fourth season with the Illini Elite club program, which followed three years with Prime Time.

That will be followed by her high school graduation and a move to the South.

“I’m super excited to get to know all of my new teammates at Emory,” Zerrouki said. “I had the opportunity to meet a few players over the summer when I visited and I’ve been in contact with several other commits in my class.

“I definitely see us all getting along very well as we all share our love for volleyball as well as our drive to succeed academically.”

She recognizes it has taken more than her drive and work ethic to be in the position where she finds herself.

“I want to express my deep gratitude for my parents, and all of my coaches, teachers and teammates that have made it possible for me to have the opportunity to pursue a degree and a collegiate volleyball career at such a prestigious university,” she said. “I owe it all to them.”

As Zerrouki prepares to spend time on one court in the foreseeable future with a different one waiting in the future – a courtroom – Bergman is confident that Zerrouki is heading in the right direction.

“This school is going to provide her with all that she needs to succeed in the post-college chapter of her life,” he said.