Sophia Li is a senior at Hunter College High School.

“I’ve played a lot of golf - 11 years and 10 years of competitive golf, so a lot of it I’ve learned that the most important part of it is the mental game,” said Li.

Sophia has quite an impressive resume. Outside of school, she plays competitive junior golf and is a two-time state champ. In school, she is captain for both the girls and coed golf teams.

With an undefeated high school record and four PSAL championships under her belt, Sophia’s list of accomplishments is nothing short of extraordinary.

“I have to juggle practice and I have to get my schoolwork done. I really do like succeeding. Like I’m very competitive,” said Li.

“She engages wholeheartedly in everything she does, no matter what. She’s not afraid to fail, she’s not afraid to look silly,” Elizabeth Fox, the physical education teacher at Hunter College High School, said.

“The workload here is extremely, extremely large. And a lot of kids will struggle with it. She has found a way to get her schedule together. She has not missed a practice or a meet in four years,” added Fox.

“I don’t think I can give less than a 100% of my effort,” remarked Li.

Off the golf course, Sophia has excelled academically. Her challenging schedule includes AP classes and her transcript is filled with “A”s. Sophia allows time in her busy schedule to volunteer, teaching young kids about golf. She is the founder of her school’s Chinese Diasporic Cultural Club, a member of the Science Olympiads, a Girl Scout and an officer on the 2025 Term Council.

“She comes to all the meetings and is involved in board decisions. And I’ve really seen her take that on and have ownership over that. So, really be involved in the grade,” Annie Turner, a social studies teacher at Hunter College High School, said.

Sophia’s love of golf teed off when she was just 6-years-old.

“My dad actually got into golf first. I have an older sister. He put us both into the first tee program, which is like non-for-profit. They teach you how to golf. I ended up falling in love with the game. I really loved it to the point where my dad signed me up for competitive junior golf,” said Li.

All of those years on the green have certainly paid off.

“I was recruited to Dartmouth and onto their D1 team. And I’m really excited to start that. I’ve already met the team. They’re really lovely people,” said Li.