Alum Matilda Sorić ‘23 Turns Her Love for Math and Data Into a Career in Sports Analytics
After graduating from high school, Matilda Sorić ‘23 knew she wanted a career in sports and data science. Sorić is a three-time Croatian National Team player at the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) European Championships and a six-time Croatian National Champion.
She began playing basketball for Croatia’s A1 League at just 14 years old, where she was a two-time silver medalist and a four-time U19 Croatian Championship gold medalist. Knowing she couldn’t build this kind of career at home, she set her eyes on the U.S., where the sports industry is more advanced.
In 2019, Sorić left Osijek, Croatia, to attend Binghamton University in New York. After playing for their women’s basketball team for two years and studying mathematics, Sorić realized she wasn’t where she was meant to be.
Finding the Right Fit as a Transfer Student
“My second year was really tough, both in school and on the court, and nothing was working. I felt like the classes that I was taking were just not giving me what I wanted,” Sorić said.
In February 2021, Sorić entered the NCAA Transfer Portal to signal that she was seeking a new college, and soon was connected with St. Edward’s University Head Women’s Basketball Coach JJ Reihl. Sorić, who was looking to pursue a degree beyond basic math, learned about St. Edward’s Bachelor of Science in Applied Data Science and the Data Analytics Certificate. On April 1, 2021, Sorić committed to the hilltop and moved to Texas.
Sorić’s life quickly fell into place. When she arrived in Austin, Sorić joined the Netflix Advanced Data Science Boot Camp, a free, fast-paced, 16-week course, learning from seasoned Netflix professionals.
As she wrapped up boot camp, Sorić began an internship with the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder as a Data Science and Solutions Video Analyst. While gaining experience with sports data, she also worked on campus with Associate Professor of Mathematics Paul Savala and President Montserrat Fuentes, analyzing bladder cancer data. Her research used a Bayesian model to predict the likelihood of the disease based on location, health and pollutant data. Sorić valued working with President Fuentes not only as a female leader in STEM but also as someone who regularly supported the women’s basketball team.
“It’s not even the fact that she’s the president of our school. If you look at her CV, she’s done it all, and I get to work with her and have her as a mentor too,” Sorić said. “I got to present my research to her and got her feedback on how to get better, and I presented it at Texas Capitol Research Day. It was definitely an honor.”
While at St. Edward’s, Sorić was also interviewed live on “Good Morning Croatia” to discuss her academic and athletic career, and returned to Osijek to speak with the Kinesiology faculty about student-athletes being more than athletes.
When her basketball season wrapped up, Sorić was ready to take on something new beyond the classroom. During her final semester, she applied for an internship with the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, diving into Python to predict ticket sales as a Data Science Representative. After navigating a competitive interview process, she landed the role, and after graduation, she leveled up to a full-time Ticket Analytics Coordinator, turning her passion for data into a career on and off the court.
Inside the NBA Future Analytics Program
While with the Spurs, Sorić applied to the NBA Future Analytics Stars, a highly selective program designed for the “future leaders in basketball, business, and marketing analytics.” Through the virtual program, she got an inside look at NBA operations, learning from experts in data collection and engineering, player health, fan experience, safety, marketing and basketball operations.
After a year with the Spurs, Sorić landed an offer with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment as a Data Analyst, supporting the New York Liberty and Brooklyn Nets. In her role, she creates reports and analyzes campaign progress, representative performance and team outcomes at arena events.
“Every single game is different. You're not doing the same repetitive job over and over again,” Sorić says. “So there's something new every day. It kind of keeps you alive, and you're engaged constantly. We're always busy.”
Part of a Historic WNBA Championship Season
In October 2024, the New York Liberty made history, winning the WNBA Championship with a 67–62 victory over the Minnesota Lynx. The title marked the franchise’s first championship in 28 seasons and the city’s first professional basketball championship since 1973. For Sorić and her colleagues, the moment came with a tangible reminder of the season’s success: championship rings of their own.
Since moving to Brooklyn, Sorić has settled into the rhythm of the city, spending her mornings walking and running along the piers as she trains for the New York City Marathon. Her role has also opened doors to behind-the-scenes experiences in professional sports, from attending a draft and cheering on the Liberty to occasionally catching concerts at the Barclays Center.
After wrapping up her collegiate basketball career, Sorić has been intentional about giving her body time to recover from lingering injuries. Running became a low-impact way to stay competitive, and it quickly turned into something more. Today, with qualifications for both the 2026 New York City Marathon and the Chicago Marathon under her belt, she’s embracing new challenges and looking forward to what’s next.
