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Izzy Jamgotchian in Dugout

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Pride, Purpose, and Perspective: Izzy Jamgotchian’s Journey Beyond the Game

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Each time Izzy Jamgotchian steps into the batter's box, the moment begins long before the pitch is thrown.

An Armenian song echoes through the speakers. The dugout comes alive. Teammates dancing, shouting, fully embracing the moment, and for Jamgotchian, it's more than just a routine walk-up. It's a reflection of who she is, where she comes from, and who she carries with her.

It's a moment that traces back years earlier.

She still remembers the moment clearly. Her first high school home game, stepping into the batter's box for the first time with her walk-up song playing over the speakers, a song she had chosen to reflect her Armenian heritage. Out in center field, her father, Elie, watched it all unfold.

"After the game, my dad told me he was out there in center field crying," Jamgotchian said. "Just hearing it and seeing how proud I was to be Armenian, it meant a lot to him."

Now at LMU, that same pride has only grown stronger; amplified not just by her own voice, but by a team that celebrates it alongside her.

April 24 marks Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, commemorating the beginning of the Armenian Genocide in 1915, when Armenian intellectuals and community leaders were arrested in Constantinople, an event that led to the systematic persecution and deaths of more than one million Armenians under the Ottoman Empire.

It is a day rooted in history, loss, and reflection, but also in resilience. For Izzy, it has never been just a lesson in the past. It's something she has lived, learned, and carried with her through her family.

"I've always grown up talking about it and remembering it," she said. "On the 100th year anniversary, my dad took me and my sister to the march in Hollywood, and that was really powerful just seeing everyone come together."

Each year in Los Angeles, thousands gather in the heart of Little Armenia and march through Hollywood in what has become one of the largest Armenian Genocide remembrance events in the world. Families, survivors, and younger generations walk side by side, carrying flags, sharing stories, and honoring the lives lost, while also calling for recognition and justice.

For Jamgotchian, being part of that crowd wasn't just about witnessing history, it was about feeling connected to it, surrounded by a community unified in remembrance, resilience, and pride.

Raised in a household deeply connected to their Armenian roots, Izzy learned early what it meant to take pride in her identity. From speaking Armenian with her grandparents to embracing traditions passed down through generations, her culture has always been a defining part of her story.

"My family is very proud of our culture and heritage," she said. "Being proud of my culture has been a really big thing for me… I hope I can open the door for more girls like me."

That sense of pride, shaped by history and strengthened by family, is something she now carries into everything she does, including the game she loves.

On the field, Jamgotchian's presence is undeniable. Not just in the energy she brings, but in the way she approaches every at-bat.

Composed. Patient. Confident.

Traits that don't just define her game, but reflect who she is.

"My parents have always instilled in me that once I set my mind to something, to do it," she said. "They taught me to have confidence in who I am and believe that I'm capable."

That support hasn't stopped there.

Whether at home or on the road, Izzy's parents, Elie and Yvonne, have been a constant presence throughout her career, making the effort to be in the stands whenever they can. Game after game, she can look up and find them, a steady reminder of the foundation that's helped shape her into the player she is today.

As she continues to rewrite the LMU record book, those moments carry even more meaning, knowing the same people who supported her from the very beginning are still there, watching it all unfold with the same pride.

That foundation has fueled one of the most remarkable individual careers in program history.

Jamgotchian has etched her name throughout the LMU record book, setting a new program record for career walks with 118 and counting, surpassing the previous mark of 114. Her discipline at the plate, her ability to wait, trust, and deliver, has become one of her greatest strengths.

At the conference level, she has already made history in the West Coast Conference. Jamgotchian holds the single-season record for walks, drawing 44 in the 2025 season. Now sitting at 43 in 2026, she stands on the brink of matching or surpassing that mark once again.

Her impact extends far beyond the program and conference level.

Jamgotchian is currently tied for No. 13 in NCAA Division I with 118 career walks, with the total continuing to rise as she builds on an already remarkable career.

And when patience turns into opportunity, she capitalizes.

With 15 home runs this season, Jamgotchian has matched her own single-season career high for the third straight year (2024, 2025, 2026), with more opportunities still ahead to surpass it.

She is also currently tied for No. 12 in NCAA Division I with 52 career home runs, further solidifying her place among the nation's most accomplished hitters.

Yet beyond the numbers, her purpose is clear.

"I play for my parents, for my team, for those little girls, and for God," Jamgotchian said. "I'm playing for a bigger purpose that's bigger than myself."

For Izzy, April 24 is a reminder not only of the past, but of the strength that continues forward.

"Although it is a day of mourning, it's also a day of celebration because we are still here thriving," she said. "It has shaped how proud people are to be Armenian… we're a very proud culture, and we love being Armenian."

And in every step to the plate, with her teammates behind her and her culture carried with her, Izzy Jamgotchian continues to honor that pride, turning remembrance into resilience and identity into impact.
 
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Players Mentioned

Izzy Jamgotchian

#88 Izzy Jamgotchian

C
5' 5"
Senior
HS

Players Mentioned

Izzy Jamgotchian

#88 Izzy Jamgotchian

5' 5"
Senior
HS
C