11/10/2026 10:35:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Continuing the series that began in 2016-17, each week MGoBlue.com will highlight a Michigan student-athlete and their academic pursuits. These are our Scholar-Athlete Stories.
By Gerardo Tinajero
Growing up in New Jersey, Ashley Sofilkanich spent hours competing against her younger sister on the basketball court. Away from the game, she shared an interest with her father, watching police television shows and imagining what it might be like to work in law enforcement.
Today, those two seemingly different interests are helping shape her future.
A senior on the University of Michigan women's basketball team and a political science major, Sofilkanich is pursuing the opportunity to compete at the highest level of college basketball while preparing for a potential career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
For Sofilkanich, both ambitions reflect a common motivation: the desire to challenge herself, remain active and make a meaningful difference.
"I just love that I would be able to help people," Sofilkanich said of her interest in federal law enforcement. "And it's a job where I have to stay active. I have to stay fit."
That willingness to pursue a challenge helped bring Sofilkanich to Ann Arbor.
After spending her first two collegiate seasons at Bucknell, where she earned Patriot League Player of the Year honors, she wanted to test herself against a higher level of competition. Her younger sister, now a freshman basketball player at Duke, was among the people who helped inspire that decision.
Having competed against her sister regularly growing up, Sofilkanich believed she was capable of playing at the Power Four level, even though she had received only a handful of Division I offers coming out of high school.
"I really just wanted to kind of also accomplish that dream that I had as a little kid of just playing on TV every night and playing at that high level of basketball," she said.
Michigan offered that opportunity, but Sofilkanich was equally interested in what the university could provide beyond athletics.
The strength of Michigan's academic programs, its alumni network and the opportunities available to student-athletes made Ann Arbor an appealing destination for someone already thinking about life after basketball.
"I also think our alumni base is just so strong," Sofilkanich said. "And that's something I've really learned since being here, especially with our career center."
While her basketball ambitions brought her to Michigan, her experiences in the classroom have helped clarify the professional path she hopes to pursue.
Conversations with a neighbor who works in Homeland Security further developed that interest. Through those discussions and connections made through Michigan's career resources, she began learning more about the different opportunities within federal law enforcement.
Although she has not yet settled on a particular division within the FBI, she is especially interested in fieldwork, where the responsibilities and challenges can change from day to day.
"You never know what you're going to get yourself into every single day," Sofilkanich said. "I think that keeps it entertaining, keeps it exciting, and also just the pride of knowing that you're helping people every day."
Her political science major has given her an opportunity to explore the academic side of those interests.
When she first entered college, Sofilkanich considered several possible career paths, including law school, policymaking and government service. Political science appealed to her because it offered the flexibility to study a wide range of subjects while keeping those possibilities open.
At Michigan, that academic exploration has strengthened her interest in the field.
A course examining human rights violations particularly resonated with her. Through discussion of human rights conditions around the world, Sofilkanich learned about the challenges of measuring violations across countries, including how political conditions can influence whether individuals are able to report abuses.
"I wasn't sure how I would like that, but I thought it was so interesting and so engaging," she said.
She has also explored political theory, studying different perspectives on government and political thought across historical periods.
For Sofilkanich, the variety of subjects has reinforced her interest in understanding the institutions and systems that shape society.
"I feel like I've just gotten to take such a wide variety of classes here in Michigan, and it's definitely just deepened my interest in the subject," she said.
Through the Graham Family Athletics Career Center, Sofilkanich participated in a career venture to New York City alongside other Michigan student-athletes.
The experience introduced participants to professional environments across several industries while providing opportunities to connect with Michigan alumni and learn about life after college athletics.
The group visited organizations including Bank of New York, Chanel and Fanatics, gaining firsthand exposure to workplace cultures, career paths and the different roles that exist within large organizations.
One of the most memorable visits for Sofilkanich came from a company she had not expected to find particularly interesting.
Before visiting BNY, she had never seriously considered the possibility of working in financial services. But after meeting employees, learning about the organization's professional functions and experiencing its workplace environment, she came away with a different perspective.
"I thought I could never see myself working at a bank," Sofilkanich said. "And yet, I actually really enjoyed the experience of just being able to talk to their employees."
The experience challenged her to think beyond the career path she had already envisioned.
"It's great to have goals and determination," she said. "But it's also good to have a plan, a backup plan or have a plan B or be open to other job experiences."
For a student-athlete with a clear ambition to work for the FBI, the career venture offered an important reminder that professional development also means being willing to explore unexpected opportunities.
It also reinforced her appreciation for the Michigan community.
During the trip, Sofilkanich connected with student-athletes from other programs, including a member of the dance team with whom she had previously crossed paths during basketball-related travel but had never formally met.
Those relationships reflected another aspect of her experience at Michigan, learning to become more comfortable putting herself in unfamiliar situations.
After transferring to Michigan as a junior, Sofilkanich found that entering an established university community was different from arriving on campus as a freshman.
Rather than allowing basketball to define her entire college experience, she made an intentional effort to meet people and become involved in the student-athlete community.
She joined the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as a representative of women's basketball, creating opportunities to connect with student-athletes across different sports.
"I think it's helped me grow and be more outgoing, be more driven as a person," she said.
That personal growth has also influenced how she approaches her responsibilities as both an athlete and a student.
With Big Ten travel, demanding practices, coursework and professional interests competing for her time, Sofilkanich has learned to think ahead and prepare for challenges before they arise.
She credits her father, a teacher, with helping establish strong academic habits early in life. As she approaches graduation, she has become increasingly intentional about applying the same preparation and commitment to her studies that she brings to basketball.
The connection between her athletic and professional ambitions is particularly evident in the mentality she has developed through Michigan basketball.
During a demanding conditioning drill, Sofilkanich recalled reaching a point of exhaustion after completing the exercise twice, only to learn she would have to attempt it a third time.
At first, she doubted whether she could finish.
"I was just telling myself, I can't. And then I was like, you know? Yes, I can. I can do it. I can do this," Sofilkanich recalled.
She completed the drill successfully.
When faced with the same challenge two weeks later, she found it noticeably easier. Having already accomplished it once, she no longer questioned whether she was capable of finishing.
"I can do hard. I've done hard before; I can do it again," she said.
It is a lesson Sofilkanich believes will remain with her long after her basketball career ends.
The discipline, preparation and determination required to compete at Michigan have helped her develop qualities she believes can translate into federal law enforcement, where she hopes to pursue challenging work and contribute to her community.
As she enters her final season with the Wolverines, Sofilkanich remains focused on helping the program compete for a national championship. After starting all 35 games last season, she hopes to build on the team's success while continuing to prepare for her future.
That future could include playing professional basketball overseas before pursuing a career with the FBI. Whatever path she ultimately takes, she intends to maintain the relationships and professional connections she has developed through Michigan.
For other student-athletes beginning to explore their own career interests, Sofilkanich encourages them to take advantage of the university's resources and the willingness of Michigan alumni to help.
"You never know who you're going to meet," she said.
She emphasized the importance of introducing oneself, building relationships and following up with individuals who would help open doors to future opportunities.
Looking back on her journey from Bucknell to Michigan, Sofilkanich recognizes that her growth has extended beyond the basketball court. Her academic experiences have expanded her interests, her professional development opportunities have widened her perspective, and her time as a Wolverine has strengthened her confidence in taking on unfamiliar challenges.
"I think the University of Michigan has made me realize that I can do hard things and I can really push myself out of my comfort zone," Sofilkanich said.
Whether her next chapter takes her to another basketball court or into federal law enforcement, Sofilkanich is ready to approach it with the same determination, willingness to embrace challenges and confidence she developed at Michigan.
