Class of 2021: A Student-Athlete with a Drive Toward Success

It takes determination to be a student-athlete. There are numerous pressures that make it difficult to balance academic and athletic life. Sophia Guerrier, a communications major who graduates this month, is one of the stars of the RIC women’s basketball team. As a senior, she turned in great performances both on the court and in her professional life. 

As the starting guard, she helped lead the Anchorwomen to an undefeated season and a Little East Conference Championship.  She was named Little East Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Little East. “It feels amazing to receive all three of the highest honors this basketball season,” she says. “Especially as a senior, it’s a goal to leave your mark as much as possible. Athletes work so hard year-round to be the best that they can be. To be recognized for your results is extremely satisfying and motivating – as it is to know that your accomplishments and talent didn’t go unnoticed.” 

RIC Athletics requires study hall hours for any athlete whose GPA (grade point average) is under 2.7, but even that’s not enough for women’s basketball head coach Jenna Cosgrove. “My coach set the bar higher: to have a 2.9 in order to get out of study hall,” Guerrier explains. “She definitely expects more out of us in the classroom.”

Throughout her time at RIC, Guerrier has looked to the coaching staff to do more than call the plays. “Coach Cosgrove, (Assistant) Coach Dino (Porcic), and Coach D (Assistant Coach  Claudia DeFaria) have been so instrumental in my growth as a player and young adult off the court. They only expected the greatest version of myself on both sides,” she says. “I also want to say a special thank you to trainers Carlo (Cantarella) and Andrea (Dunn) for taking care of me and every other athlete here at RIC, day in and day out.” 

Guerrier is currently doing her internship with a media relations firm that is headquartered in Boston and does national work. “I am a marketing intern; I do a lot of client-based work,” she says. “That, includes media outreach, curating press releases, writing pitches and pitching to outlets, researching, and other fun stuff.” 

She is also the Arts & Entertainment Editor for the student-run newspaper, The Anchor. “This is my second year as editor,” she says. “I manage the A&E staff and write articles pertaining to arts and culture and any events that matter on campus.”

After graduation, Guerrier has her sights set on even bigger success: she plans to attend law school within five years and go into intellectual property law. For now, she hopes to work within the media arts sector or marketing and public relations. 

Before that, however, Guerrier hopes to do a lot of relaxing and some traveling. “I’ve been playing basketball every year for the majority of my life, so it’s time to give my knees a little rest,” she laughs. “Most likely, I will continue to play basketball in local tournaments.”

If her career at RIC has been any indication, we expect she’ll continue to stand out both on and off the court.