Iowa Lakes Softball player, Tianna Soto, signed to continue her athletic and academic careers at NAIA William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Soto will be studying Athletic Training in the hopes of becoming an Athletic Trainer in the future.
"It was awesome getting to watch the growth Tianna has made from the time she walked onto campus until the moment she walked off the field for the last time. She has really come to understand the work ethic and mental toughness it takes to be a collegiate student-athlete. Tianna will be missed here at Iowa Lakes next year, and we wish her the best of luck at William Penn. We cannot wait to continue to watch her grow as a person, student, and athlete."
Soto is the daughter of Erika Knoerzer and Manuel Soto. She is from Fontana, California, where she was a graduate of Henry J. Kaiser High School. In Soto's senior season, she posted a .529 batting average and earned the Gold Medal Academic award. Junior year she was awarded the Silver Medal Academic award and freshman year earned the GPA Improvement award.
During her first season as a Laker, Soto posted a .428 batting average. She had 24 hits, including three doubles, one triple, and one homerun. She had a .441 on-base percentage and a .571 slugging percentage.
Before the 2020 season abruptly ended, Soto had played in five games for the Lakers. She had a .353 batting average with six hits, including one double and one homerun. She had a .421 on-base percentage and a .588 slugging percentage.
Soto had this to say, "Living in California my entire life, I knew attending Iowa Lakes was going to be a huge change. Iowa Lakes became my home away from home for two years. It is where I met the greatest people and my best friends. I am very thankful for my family and coaches for pushing me past my limits and helping me achieve my goals. I am grateful and excited for my next chapter at William Penn University."
Photo ID: Photo of Tianna Soto Hitting attached.
MEDIA: For more information, please contact Head Softball Coach, Katie Larson at (712) 362-8367 or the Iowa Lakes sports information office at (712) 362-7928.
Photo Credit: Cecil Ramsey Photography