One of the top 2028’s in the country, Sophia Schlader of Northwest High in Waukee, Iowa, announced today at a press conference held at 5 pm CST that she has committed to the University of Oklahoma.

In the brief 10 minutes she was seated at a table at her school, she thanked her high school and club coaches, her family and teammates before she announced she was headed to play for the Sooners and received loud cheers and applause from those in-person.

Here is the press conference, which was live streamed on YouTube and, a half hour after being broadcast, had over 3,100 views:

The talented junior was selected to the PGF Futures All-American sophomore team and played in the game where she pitched again the juniors team.

Sophia was ranked as the No. 1 player in the 2028 HOT 100 rankings last year and was No. 2 overall in the 2028 HOT 100 rankings this year, behind only No. 1 Reagan Eldred, who also has Oklahoma in her top three and was scheduled to visit the Sooner campus this week, but will now be tripping to the Univ. of Tennessee this weekend.

The junior from Iowa was also listed by Softball America as that site’s No. 1 pitcher in their rankings.

Here’s Sophia’s bio that was released on Sept. 7, 2026 in the Line Drive Media 2028 HOT 100:

T-2—Sophia Schlader, P, Beverly Bandits – Conroy
Last year’s No. 1 player continues to excel on every level and has established herself as one of the premier players in the 2028 class with a résumé that separates her nationally as both a pitcher and hitter.

As a sophomore at Waukee (Iowa) Northwest, she went 29-0 with one save, throwing 180.2 innings with a 0.697 ERA, a 0.548 WHIP, a .096 BAA and a school-record 301 strikeouts, while helping lead her team to the Iowa 5A State Championship.

In the circle, Sophia consistently pitches in the high 60’s and reaches 70 mph, complementing her velocity with an effective rise ball, drop ball and changeup. Her ability to change eye levels and speeds, command the zone and make adjustments gives her multiple ways to attack a lineup.

She doesn’t simply overpower hitters—she has an advanced understanding of how to pitch and get outs.

What makes Sophia even more unique is her ability to impact a game on both sides of the ball. Offensively, she hit .464 with a .584 OBP, a 1.155 slugging percentage and a 1.739 OPS, including a school-record 18 home runs.

Her sophomore season earned her Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year honors, 1st Team All-State, Elite All-State Pitcher and 5A Pitcher of the Year along with 5A All-Tournament recognition.

Myndie Berka, Sophia’s pitching coach, says:

“Beyond her physical ability and statistics, Sophia is an exceptional competitor. She is composed in big moments, highly coachable and willing to make adjustments. She wants the ball when the game matters and has already proven she can perform under championship-level pressure.”

“I have had the opportunity to work with Sophia throughout her development, and what may be most impressive is that she is still getting better. At this stage of her career, she already combines elite velocity, swing-and-miss stuff, tremendous offensive power, proven production and the competitive mindset to perform on the biggest stage.”

 Add to that a 4.1 GPA and it’s understandable why Oklahoma brought Sophia in for an official visit the first weekend colleges could do so.