Sehren Martinez’s dream of playing college softball will become a reality next spring.

The Ceres High School senior signed a national letter of intent with NCAA Division-I Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on April 30.

She was also recruited by UC Davis, Long Beach State and San Diego State.

“Once I set a goal, I’m very determined to keep working hard until I get it,” Martinez said.

“It’s a big relief knowing where I’m going,” she added. “Cal Poly has all the things I wanted in a college, not just athletics. It’s a beautiful campus. They have my major. And it’s not too far from home but it’s far enough.”

“I’m so excited for her,” said Mike Corsaut, Martinez’s head coach for the past four seasons at the prep level. “She’s worked really hard to get where she is. I think she’s going to do great there. She’ll fit right in.”

Ceres High staged a celebratory signing ceremony for Martinez on May 1.

“I’m not a big attention person,” Martinez said. “But it was really cool to see everybody there supporting me.”

Family, friends and teammates attended the event at the school’s varsity softball field.

Martinez had mixed emotions that day as older brother Johnny-O’s absence was felt.

He passed away at the age of 36 in March.

Johnny-O’s celebration of life was staged on April 29.

“I know he wouldn’t want us to be mourning him in a moment like this,” Martinez said. “He’d be smiling.”

“I’ve always played for him,” she added. “I’ve always looked up to him. God gave me the abilities to play a sport and do things he never had an opportunity to do.”

Martinez was recruited to play shortstop for Cal Poly, which had a 17-22 overall record and sat in sixth place in the Big West Conference standings (10-14) as of Monday.

“I was a late recruit,” she said. “She (Mustangs’ head coach Jenny Condon) was set on finding a shortstop. I just want to be in the lineup no matter where I play in the field. I love hitting. Technically, I’m a utility player.”

A four-year member of Ceres High’s softball program, Martinez is currently enjoying her best season to date with the Bulldogs.

She had a batting average of .517 with two home runs, six triples, seven doubles, 25 RBIs, 26 runs and seven stolen bases through Ceres High’s first 20 games of the 2023 campaign.

“She’s gotten better every year,” Corsaut said. “She’s hitting over .600 in league right now. She leads the team in home runs and triples. She’ll steal a base when we need her to. She does everything right. It’s fun to watch her play. She plays the game the right way. She’s a quiet leader. But she’s very competitive. She does not like to lose.”

Martinez earned first-team all-league honors junior and sophomore years.

“(Coach) Corsaut made it known he had high expectations,” Martinez said. “I’ve done the best I could. I’ve always been my biggest critic. I’ve improved a lot mentally. I don’t get in my own head as much. My confidence is the thing that’s grown the most since freshman year. I’m not the loudest on the field. But I’m a leader.”

Martinez started playing softball at the age of six.

A standout soccer player as well, Martinez turned her focus to softball in the ninth grade.

“It’s become a joke in my house why I chose softball,” Martinez said. “I was always better at soccer. I took it as a challenge to prove to them (family) I could be better at softball. I also didn’t like running that much.”

Parents John and Ranjit, brother Haaydn and hitting coach Melissa Wooldridge all played a big part in Martinez reaching her college-athletic goal.

“They (John and Ranjit) drove me down south to showcases and paid for it all,” Martinez said. “It can be very expensive playing travel softball.”

Haaydn, a 2017 Ceres High School grad, earned a basketball scholarship to Luther College in Iowa.

“He played a sport in college,” Sehren said. “I wanted to do the same thing.”

Martinez works out five times a week at the gym.

She also watches what she eats.

Haaydn helped create a meal prep plan for her.

“I’ve become almost like a cook at this point,” she said. 

Martinez stopped taking hitting lessons from Wooldridge three years ago.

The two still communicate.

“She’s helped me get to the next level,” Martinez said. “I still text her to this day. I send her stuff when I’m struggling.”

Martinez made sacrifices in her personal life as she pursued her dream of becoming a Division-I college athlete.

“A lot of missed family events and friends’ birthday parties,” she stated. “If you would have asked me last year if it was worth it, I don’t know if I would have said yes. But looking back, it was definitely worth it.”

Martinez will major in psychology at Cal Poly.

“I plan on getting my masters to become a clinical psychologist,” said Martinez, who has a weighted cumulative grade-point average of 4.0 at Ceres High.