Sophia Bachman Sets Sights on SMC

Sophia Bachman of Buchanan High School and Dunes Volleyball Club has signed her NJCAA Letter of Intent to play volleyball in the 1st Source Bank Fieldhouse for Head Coach Jenny Nate and the Roadrunners.

Coach Nate said of Bachman, "I had the privilege to coach Sophia at the club level and to watch her grow these past four years into an incredible setter, confident leader, and great attacker. Sophia is a smart, calm presence on the court who runs the offense, knows her hitters, and strives to improve her game daily.  She has outstanding defense, excels in the classroom as well as the court, and is a great teammate.  Sophia comes from a winning Buchanan team where she helped her team capture three conference championships, two district championships, earned All Conference honors for two years and was her team captain for two years.  Along with her high school experience, Sophia has also played at the highest club level at Dunes Volleyball Club. We love recruiting strong, local talent and are thrilled to welcome Sophia to the SMC Volleyball Team."

Buchanan Varsity Head Coach Shelly Bender added, "Sophia has amazing setter hands and has dedicated herself tremendously over the past two years to hone her skills. Her hard work and determination have truly set her apart as one of the best setters in the area.  We are incredibly proud of her achievements and the effort she has put in to earn a volleyball scholarship at SMC." 

Bachman is the fourth member of the 2025 SMC Volleyball recruiting class, joining Randi Taylor of Lakeshore, Bucks teammate Isabella Tibbles of Buchanan and Meah Evans of Constantine as new players on the Roadrunners squad.

SMC Volleyball finished the 2024 season with a winning record of 22-16, including a win over the previously undefeated and nationally-ranked McHenry County Scots. The Roadrunners were 7-5 in the MCCAA Western Conference, qualifying for the Great Lakes District Tournament for the third consecutive year, advancing in the bracket twice. Individual Roadrunners earned seven conference and regional awards, including All-Freshman Team, All-Conference Honorable Mention, All-Conference Second Team, All-Conference First Team, All-MCCAA Team and All-Region Team.