Red and white balloons decorated the Brentwood High School assembly room as Sophia Rivera’s classmates filed in to see her announce where she had decided to attend college.
Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Texas A&M — her top choices, according to her dad, Ed Rivera — are all red and white, so is Stanford, which she had turned down, according to her mother, Michelle Hassemer.
Friday afternoon the international shot put and javelin competitor from Brentwood announced she would attend the University of Wisconsin.
See also: Sophia Rivera wins national championship, Brentwood’s Rivera throws best-in-US shot put, Sophia Rivera takes gold in national meet – again
Brentwood assistant principal/athletic director, Stephen Ayotte said, “You absolutely are what all of us want to see in our kids, in our friends. You do the right thing when people are watching. You do the right thing when people aren’t watching. And it’s really the work that you do when people aren’t watching that we all appreciate the most. It’s what you do when we’re all still in bed.”
Rivera said a lot of things led her to Wisconsin: “One of them is that they have an active FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes). All three of the schools had it, but it was that combined with the coach, and I will be super close to family up there, and the academics up there are undeniable.”
She said she’ll throw javelin and shot put mainly, and fiddle with discus at Wisconsin — then has bigger goals. “Right now my goal is the make the (Olympic) trials this summer, but after college I’m going to go for the Olympics in 2020.”
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Congrats to Wisconsin! They’re getting a terrific young person who will add so much to their school. Congrats to Sophia on your hard work and great approach to everything in life. Good luck up north! Take a sweatshirt or two or 20.
From an old Badger to a new one, congratulations Sophia. You made a great choice. On Wisconsin!