Soo-Jin Berry feels grateful that her Korean name helps fans connect with her beyond softball. She describes meeting Korean supporters who recognize her heritage and share similar backgrounds. After excelling at Iowa as a top Big Ten hitter, she transferred to UCLA, accepting a smaller role and reduced playing time to pursue personal growth and a meaningful place on the team. UCLA’s coaching staff guided her decision through emails and a lengthy conversation about her experiences and goals. During her recruiting visit, multiple teammates greeted her, including former high school teammate Jordan Woolery, who helped her during the trip. At UCLA, Berry aims to raise her standard of play while enjoying the process.
"“For me, it's just nice that I can represent something so much bigger than softball,” Berry said with a raspy voice after cheering on her UCLA teammates during the Bruins' NCAA regional wins."
"“My name is Korean, so I have a lot of Korean fans that will walk up to me, and they're like, 'Oh my gosh, are you Korean? I am too!'”"
"“We talked about my life experience in Iowa, and then I kind of knew from the beginning what I wanted, so I made those desires clear to her,” Berry said. “I just want to grow. I just want to have some role on this team because it would mean so much to me. I feel like growing up, everyone's dream is to go to UCLA, especially for softball.”"
"“Jordan was the main person helping me on my visit,” Berry said. “We actually flew in together.”"
Read at Los Angeles Times
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