Mari Somvichian Gears up for her Sophomore Season with Loyola Marymount University
By: Dylan Tehada
As collegiate teams and players are gearing up for their seasons, one member of the UPB community, in particular, is looking to make major strides in her second collegiate season at Loyola Marymount University. Mari Somvichian, Bay Area native and UPB regular, is going into her sophomore year at Loyola Marymount University and with one year under her belt she seeks to help the Lions take a leap in the upcoming season. One year after securing a walkon spot for the Lions, Somvichian received a scholarship from the Loyola Marymount University coaching staff cementing her role on the team as a leader and key contributor for the upcoming season. As her season ramps up, Somvichian reflects on the experiences that led to this pivotal season and shares her insight into how to make a strong impact in college hoops.
Somvichian was born and raised in Oakland, California and has always shown a strong love and passion for basketball. After graduating from Oakland Technical High School, she took her talents to SoCal where she earned a walk-on spot for the Lions during her freshman year. She quickly showed her impact through her strong work ethic and love for the game, quickly earning the trust from her coaches and teammates. Going into her first offseason, Somvichian’s main objective was to continue elevating her skillset and spending as much time in the gym as possible working on conditioning.
In the middle of her offseason, Somvichian was honored to receive a scholarship from the Loyola Marymount University Women’s Basketball team going into her sophomore year. The scholarship not only encapsulated all her hard work and the impact she had on her team, but also reflected her belief in herself to play at the highest level. She let her skillset speak for itself, but focused more so on the intangibles of being a leader and showing a dedication to being the best player she could possibly be and uplifting her teammates. It was with this mindset that she quickly earned the trust and belief from the coaching staff to receive a scholarship and become a leader on the Loyola Marymount University team.
“I had to work harder than everybody because I had that 16th roster spot out of 16 available spots. I just focused on working out all the time, being the first one in the gym, last one out, knowing the playbook, knowing the scout, being able to point out certain things during film, just showing that I know what's going on,” Somvichian said. “I think all the intangible things really made [the coaching staff] trust me and also trust my leadership skills.”
Leadership is one of Somvichian’s main focuses going into year two. With only five returning players from last year’s team, she has an opportunity to make her impact felt by contributing to a strong team culture and helping her squad develop chemistry throughout the season. She is fully prepared to embrace the floor general role that she has embodied her whole career being vocal with her teammates and uplifting them through the highs and lows of the long season.
“I don't take it for granted that my coach is trusting me to be in a leadership role. I definitely take that very seriously and I know our team can only be as good as our team culture, so that's really important to me. I know that no matter how many minutes I'm getting I can always help the team by leading them,” Somvichian stated.
Somvichian is playing a key role in a winning season for the Lions, who are currently 2-1. As the season treads along we are excited to see Somvichian’s game and role as a leader continue to grow throughout the season. We are extremely proud of the hooper she has become and know that she will be a key piece to a successful season for the Loyola Marymount University Women’s team.
