Cardinals Add Sofia Maldonado Diaz to Roster

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Sofia Maldonado Diaz, a 6-0 right side hitter, has transferred to the University of Louisville and will join the roster as a fifth-year student.

The Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico native is transferring to the Ville after four years at the University of Arizona.

"Sofia is a great player and she comes to us with a ton of both collegiate and international experience after an outstanding career at Arizona," said UofL head coach Dani Busboom Kelly. "With her versatility, she will add depth to both our right and left sides and will make an outstanding addition to our roster."

As a senior in 2023, she started in all 31 matches and led Arizona with 396 kills and 3.50 kills/set, which ranked her seventh in kills/set and eighth in kills in the Pac-12. She was second on the team with 30 aces and 0.27 aces/set and led Arizona with 2.26 digs/set and nine solo blocks during the season. A strong defensive presence for the Wildcats, she tallied 255 digs to rank second on the team and had 10 double-doubles during the season, second-most on the team. A strong server, she ranks fourth in career service aces (144) in UA history and recorded 1,393 kills during her career to rank eighth in the Wildcat record book in career kills. Her career average of 3.31 kills/game ranks 10th in Arizona career history and is currently ranked 73rd in the NCAA Active Career Leaders in kills.

As a junior in 2022, she was named honorable mention All-Pac-12. She did not miss a match, playing in all 31 and led Arizona's offense with 372 kills and 3.18 kills/set. She served up 46 aces and averaged 0.39 aces/set to lead the team and led the Wildcats with 10 or more kills in 18 matches.

As a sophomore in 2021, she started in 32 matches, recorded 353 kills and averaged 3.04 kills/set, second most on the team while leading the team with 40 aces and 0.34 aces/set. She also tallied 192 digs, 46 blocks, and 22 assists and ranked forth with 40 service aces and sixth with 0.34 aces/set in the Pac-12. She earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors.
As a freshman in 2020-21, she was named AVCA Pacific South Region Freshman of the Year, as well as an AVCA All-Pacific South Region Honorable Mention and made the All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Freshman teams. She established herself as Arizona's main offensive threat as a true freshman and is third in UA freshmen history with 3.63 kills/game and tenth in kills among Arizona freshmen with 272 kills. Her 272 kills ranked eighth in the NCAA among freshmen and was ranked 16th amongst freshmen in the NCAA in kills/game. She led the team with 28 aces on the season. She was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and was named Pac-12 Freshmen of the Week three times, setting the UA record for weekly conference awards earned in a single season.

During her prep career at Cervantes Loma Bonita High School, she competed for both the U18 and U20 Mexican National Team and was the starting middle blocker on both teams' World Championship rosters. She helped lead Team Mexico to a 10th-place finish in the 2019 FIVB U20 World Championships as just a 17-year-old and competed in the 2019 FIVB U18 World Championships in Egypt. She helped lead her team to a national championship as a senior.

University of Louisville Athletics

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