QUINCY (WGEM) – Tri-State residents who tuned in to the newest season of ‘Beast Games’ may recognize contestant 96.
Sophia Marcolla grew up in Quincy, was valedictorian at Quincy Notre Dame High School, and is a newly barred attorney. As of last week, she’s also a reality TV star.
“It really was a dream come true,” said Marcolla, who found out she made the cut for the show in May 2025. “I really have liked his videos for a long time, I like the message that he sends.”
Marcolla is one of 200 contestants featured in the show’s second season. Hosted by YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, known online as ‘MrBeast,’ this iteration of the $5 million competition sports a ‘strong versus smart’ theme.
Fresh out of law school (she was originally scheduled to fly out for filming on her graduation day), Marcolla was selected for the smart team. The Quincy native was determined to take part in the show.
“I knew it was something I wanted to do. It’s $5 million, it’s life changing-money… So I was like, ‘This is just something I have to do,’” she explained.
Marcolla met Donaldson and the rest of the cast in Las Vegas for the first round of competitions before flying to North Carolina to continue filming. Each round of the ‘Squid Games’-inspired contest halved the playing field.
“This show is truthfully… unlike anything I’ve ever done in my whole life, and it was one of the greatest things I’ve ever done,” Marcolla told WGEM News.
One of Marcolla’s highlights was filming a behind-the-scenes vlog for the show.
“That was one of my favorite moments, because that was just an opportunity for me to walk up to somebody and say, ‘Hey, like, why are you here? Tell me all about your story,’ Marcolla said, adding, ”Because my entire strategy was just really getting to know people, it was getting to see their hearts, see why they’re there, and also their path.”
“It really was a really great experience to just get to know people, to really… let your guard down, because you are in such a high-stress environment,” Marcolla explained.
You can watch Marcolla compete on the first three episodes of Beast Games Season Two, out now on Amazon Prime Video. New episodes release each Wednesday through February 25.
Marcolla’s vlog about her experiences inside ‘Beast City’ is available on YouTube.
Viewers can vote for Marcolla as their favorite contestant here.
Copyright 2026 WGEM. All rights reserved.
