The Mainland Regional High School cross country and track and field standout committed last week to continue her academic and running careers at Vanderbilt.

Althea Thomas took over as Vanderbilt’s director of cross country and track and field in 2021. Day made an official visit to the Nashville, Tennessee, school the weekend of Oct. 4-6. Vanderbilt competes in the Southeastern Conference, one of the nation’s best in every sport.

“The coaches I could tell were really dedicated and supporting their athletes and making sure their goals are reached in college,” Day said. “And then all the girls on the team were so nice and welcoming. That made me really happy to see how close they all were.”

A four-time state champion, Day was the 2023-24 Press Female Athlete of the Year. She has also won three Atlantic County and two Cape-Atlantic League cross country championships.

“Vanderbilt is an up-and-coming program that is making a strong emphasis on their middle distance for this recruiting cycle,” Mainland track and field coach Dan Heyman said. “They can see the potential for Sofia to be a strong 1,500/800 runner in SEC competition.”

Day said her goal since middle school was to run in college.

“To be able to know (what college) I’m going to now,” Day said, “is another huge goal I was able to accomplish. I’m happy and excited for the future.”

Day made an immediate impression as a freshman, winning the Atlantic County and CAL cross country championships. She played lacrosse in the spring her first two years at Mainland. Day made her outdoor track and field debut as a junior and won the state Group III 800- and 1,600-meter titles.

She said she’s looking forward to the challenge of competing in the SEC.

“It’s a tough conference,” she said, “but I would like to prove I’m going to do better in college.”

Day said will major in elementary education with the goal of becoming a teacher.

“I used to coach local lacrosse teams,” she said, “and being around kids and seeing them grow, I really enjoyed that.”

Day also visited South Carolina, Penn State and Wake Forest. She made her major meet debut for this cross country season Saturday and won the Division 2 title at the South Jersey Track Coaches Association Open at DREAM Park in Logan Township.

“It’s my senior year and just being able to grow as a runner the past four years,” she said, “I’m excited to show what I can do for this last year.”