Unique Strategy and Sisterhood Wins Sofia Hoegemeyer State Champion
Sofia Hoegemeyer | Senior | Millard West High School
Story by Lucy Mason.
Sweat, grit, and a Russian tongue. That is what Sofia Hoegemeyer brings to the mat as a two-time girls wrestling state champion. She is the first girls’ state champion in Millard West history to win a girls’ state title. Finishing the wrestling season undefeated, she surpassed one hundred career wins this year.
Hoegemeyer has been competing for Millard West for four years, always a competitor who strives to never give up a fight. Through tough work and a drive to always chase after competition, Hoegemeyer said she’s surprised how successful her career has turned out.
“My success had definitely exceeded what I had originally imagined, but that is from a combination of hard work, not giving up, and always chasing the best,” she said.
Though Hoegemeyer is ruthless when it comes to her determination, she isn’t completely alone out there on the mat. At each competition, the Hoegemeyer clan is right behind Sofia cheering her on. From parents coordinating practices and competitions, Sofia’s three younger siblings also having a passion for wrestling. This sport is not just Sofia’s. It’s her family’s as well.
“Being across from my opponent on a lonely stage and hearing my family cheering for me in the background is the most empowering feeling.” Hoegemeyer said.
Front and center in this is her younger sister, Maria, who joined the team in 2023. What makes this sister duo so unique is their clever way of talking to each other during matches, which has given them an edge in communication on the mat.
Sharing a heritage of Russian ancestry, their connection with the culture goes past just their genetics. The sisters lived in Russia for a few years with their grandmother (who spoke very little English), leading to them frequently speaking Russian around the house to communicate. The role of Russian in Hoegemeyer’s life now manifests as not just a connection to her heritage, but as a way to be closer to Maria on the mat—not just as sisters, but as teammates in action.
“It creates kind of a unique bond between us and we also have fun joking with each other sometimes, usually to make fun of each other, but only in a friendly rivalry sort of way,” she said. “Usually, coaches in each corner try to listen to us at least a little bit in an attempt to decipher what each wrestler is going to do. However, when the strategy is being communicated in Russian, it quickly earns some confused facial expressions and moments of distraction. It’s hilarious!”
Moving forward, Hoegemeyer plans to train to wrestle at the highest level possible. Always striving for competition, there’s no doubt her creativity and willpower will bring her there.
“I want to see how far I can go and how much I can give back to the sport of wrestling…Even if I’m down by 13 points, I still work hard to get the win,” she said. “I am determined to shoot high and keep working hard in life.”
