Bishop Diego’s Sophia Regan was awarded the team’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor to headline a light Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Press Luncheon at Harry’s Plaza Cafe on Monday.
Along with Regan being honored, local spring sports teams provided updates on their teams heading into the first week of league and conference play.
Sophia Regan Named Bishop Diego Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Regan, a three-sport athlete in tennis, soccer and volleyball, earned the school’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year for her successes in sports and in the classroom.
She has been a standout for the Cardinals, earning All-League honors in her freshman and junior years on the soccer team. She was also a member of the Bishop Diego girls soccer CIF champion team in 2022.
On the tennis court, Regan has developed into a key piece for the Cardinals after not playing the sport until her junior season.
“It’s a complete privilege to have coached Sophia for the last two years in tennis,” Bishop Diego head tennis coach Pete Kirkwood said. “She does everything with a smile on her face and a sweat on her brow.
“She is the perfect example and role model of someone who is trying their best to become the best that they can be.”
In the classroom, Regan boasts an impressive 4.75 GPA while being named a marshall and AP Scholar with Honor during her junior year. She is also a member of the National Honors Society and California Scholarship Federation.
Regan is interested in majoring in Biology at a four-year university, where she also plans to play intramural and club sports.
She is an active member in the community as well, volunteering with her church in a leadership group called CORE while participating in the Sustainability Club, Art Club, Photography Club and Spark Rescue Club.
“I can say without a doubt that whatever [Regan] chooses to do, [she] is going to be super, super successful,” Kirkwood said. “She can do anything that she wants to do when she puts her mind to it.”
Regan is the sixth of 11 Scholar-Athletes of the Year for the 2024-25 school year, joining Carpinteria’s Keyla Manriquez, Providence’s Sarah Monroy, Laguna Blanca’s Chloe Gidney, Santa Barbara’s Gwen Chenoweth and San Marcos’ Andres Villa
The award is sponsored by Marc Gamberdella of the Gamberdella-Spruill Group of Merrill Lynch.
“Thank you so much to coach Pete and all of my coaches for being such a good influence to me and helping me to work as hard as I can,” Regan said. “Also (thank you) to my teachers for always supporting me in the classroom or in office hours.
“Last but not least, thank you to my family for being there for me always and supporting me through everything.”
Spring Sports Begin League, Conference Play
This week marks the beginning of league and conference play for many of the local high school and college teams.
At the high school level, the local Channel League schools (Dos Pueblos, San Marcos, Santa Barbara) will kick off the league schedule for baseball, softball, boys volleyball and boys tennis. The girls beach volleyball league schedule has already begun.
Meanwhile, the smaller schools of Bishop Diego, Laguna Blanca and Carpinteria High will continue their Tri-Valley League and Citrus Coast League matchups this week.
At the collegiate level, UCSB baseball, softball and men’s volleyball will begin play against Big West opponents this week, all at home.
The Gaucho baseball squad, which is 9-2 and ranked 16th in the nation, will begin a three-game set against CSU Northridge at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium on Friday at 4:05 p.m.
Meanwhile, the UCSB softball team, now 11-11, will begin its Big West schedule with a doubleheader against UC Riverside on Saturday at Campus Diamond beginning at 12 p.m.
Finally, UCSB Men’s Volleyball will look to shake off back-to-back losses to No. 2 UCLA with a showdown against UC San Diego on Friday at 7 p.m. inside the Thunderdome.
Games to Watch this Week
Tuesday, March 4
- Santa Ynez @ Santa Barbara High Boys Golf, 1 p.m.
- Mission Bay @ Santa Barbara High Boys Basketball, 7 p.m. (CIF Div. 1 State Tournament)
Wednesday, March 5
- Dos Pueblos @ San Marcos Girls Beach Volleyball, 3 p.m.
Thursday, March 6
- Laguna Blanca vs. Bishop Diego Boys Golf
- San Marcos @ Dos Pueblos Boys Tennis, 3 p.m.
Friday, March 7
- Santa Barbara High @ San Marcos Girls Beach Volleyball, 3 p.m.
- CSU Northridge @ UCSB Baseball, 4:05 p.m. (Big West Opener)
- UC Riverside @ UCSB Softball, 12 p.m. (Big West Opener)
- UC San Diego @ UCSB Men’s Volleyball, 7 p.m. (Big West Opener)
Student-Athletes in Attendance
Bishop Diego Girls Volleyball, Tennis, Soccer: Sophia Regan
San Marcos Boys Tennis: Kyle Shaffer, Henry Challen
Bishop Diego Boys Tennis: Ryan Hazelton, Jaden Olds
SBCC Baseball: Joe Talerico
Dos Pueblos Baseball: Zach Gesswein, Seth Tedeschi
San Marcos Softball: Solana Sandoval, Reese Large
San Marcos Baseball: Patrick Foster, Brett Hollowell
Bishop Diego Softball: Penny Carroll, Jaymi Coronado
Bishop Diego Boys Volleyball: John Michael Flint, Damian Krautmann
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