An Ocala high school senior who has won multiple statewide rowing races will continue her career at one of the best women’s college rowing programs in the country.
Sophie Goldstein will graduate from Forest High School this month and will continue her rowing career at the University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA) later this year.
An Ocala resident, Goldstein has been rowing on behalf of Gainesville Area Rowing since her junior year of high school. The young athlete made the transition from tennis, which was her sport of choice for the majority of her life.
Goldstein, who was selected as a member of the United States 16U tennis team for the Maccabiah Games in Israel, said she tried rowing because she felt that something was missing from her relationship with tennis. After attending a row camp in Orlando in 2023, she decided to walk away from competitive tennis and pursue rowing.
In July 2023, Goldstein joined the Gainesville Area Rowing Club, a non-profit organization that promotes rowing as a sport in the Gainesville/Alachua County area.
Despite being new to the sport, the young athlete worked at the craft and built an impressive resume, winning and finishing on the podium at multiple events.
Last month, along with her boat partner, Addy Matthews, Goldstein placed first at the 2025 Florida Scholastic Rowing Association (FSRA) Sweep Championships. Just days before that, Goldstein and Matthews finished second at the 2025 Florida Scholastic Rowing Association (FSRA) Sculling State Championship. Their time was just 2.67 seconds behind first place at that event and over 15 seconds ahead of third place. The duo also finished fifth at nationals.
Now, Goldstein will take her talents to one of the highest-ranked women’s rowing programs in the country. According to Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) College Recruiting, UCLA has the second best women’s rowing program in the United States, trailing only Stanford.
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