With dreams of aerospace engineering, Croatan's Sofia Mendolia soars in school, volleyball
Sofia Mendolia refused to be distracted.
Before a recent volleyball match at White Oak, the Croatan junior comfortably sat on the bleachers and fulfilled her daily academic responsibilities on her computer during the JV match. Mendolia didn’t seem fazed by the loud environment of the ball being played back and forth or the chants being yelled as she tried to finish her homework before it was time to start warming up for her varsity match.
“I’ve learned to adapt and to get into the zone to do my work,” Mendolia said.
That’s even true on bus rides back home after matches when it gets dark and Mendolia can’t see her assignments. That’s when she breaks out a camping headlamp and uses the light to shine on her work.
Such is the life for someone who seems to be the true example of a student-athlete.
Mendolia is enjoying a breakout season during her second varsity year while also sporting the team’s highest grade- point average at 4.5.
LEADING PLAYERS:These players have stood out so far in 2022
MIDSEASON REPORT:Here is what we know about area volleyball
10 YEAR REVIEW:How area volleyball teams have done in 10 seasons
On the volleyball court, Mendolia dishes out plenty of assists as the setter for the Cougars (14-5, 8-0 Coastal 3-A Conference), who are closing in on a fifth consecutive conference title. As a student, she hits the books amid a tough academic schedule that includes AP Chemistry, AP Calculus and Honors English.
Mendolia knows how to turn the switch on and off for each compartment of her life.
“Sofia is a little on the quieter side and she is very humble, but once she warms up to you, she isn’t afraid to have a conversation,” Croatan coach Lindsey Bach said. “So on the court, she will get loud and cheery, but in the hallway at school, she is more focused because she knows that it is school time.”
Mendolia, however, said having so much on her plate can be challenging.
“Let’s be honest. It is super hard,” she said. “It takes a lot of hard work. You have to balance your time.”
Mendolia enjoys school, but said she gets upset when she doesn’t understand the material.
Not only does she want to understand the subject, she likes to figure out the concept of how things work. Simply, she doesn’t just want the answer; she appreciates the method of finding that answer.
That’s one of the reasons Mendolia took a liking to building Legos at a younger age and now likes mathematics.
“I can sit there and do math for hours and have no complaints about it,” she said with a laugh.
But having to contend with a large volume of homework on game days can be overwhelming and frustrating. And it’s a year-long cycle for Mendolia, who also plays club volleyball in the winter and lacrosse in the spring.
It can be stressful, but these are challenges Mendolia knows she has to take on to succeed in academics and in athletics.
“I want to go to Georgia Tech and major in aerospace engineering,” Mendolia said. “I went to an engineering camp in middle school when I fell in love with it, and having my dad as an aerospace engineer helped me have a love for it.”
In the meantime, Bach expects her setter to continue taking care of business on the court and in the classroom.
“I have known Sofia since she was in the sixth grade. She is very dependable and very intelligent,” Bach said. “Yes, she has been a setter for us, but she has also developed into a well-rounded player, which is nice for us.”
Chris Miller can be contacted via email at chris.miller@jdnews.com. Follow him on twitter @jdnsports.
This article originally appeared on The Daily News: Croatan volleyball's Sofia Mendolia shows what 'student-athlete' means
