This past November, Olivia Pichardo made history after becoming the first woman ever to join an NCAA Division I baseball team roster.

At just eighteen years old, she made Brown University’s team as a utility player, meaning that she can play both the infield and outfield come the 2023 season opening.

“It was definitely a surreal moment for me because it’s something that I’ve wanted since eighth grade. It’s kind of crazy to know that I am living out my dream right now and the ideal college experience that I have always wanted, so that’s really cool,” Olivia said in a Brown University press release.

She also spoke about her contribution to gender equality in sports, stating that her entry to the team is “paving the way” for the countless young women who will come after her– encouraging them to dream big and know that they can achieve similar goals.

But besides being a powerhouse ball player, who is Olivia off the diamond? Well, she was born and raised in Queens, New York, is a diehard Mets fan, and is also a part of the USA Baseball Women’s National Team.

So, if you could not have guessed, Olivia grew up having an immense love for the game. In fact, her passion was sparked at just five years old– although it was not smooth sailing from the start.

Apparently, Olivia’s local little league team actually did not have any open spots that year. That reality pushed her to start playing lob ball instead.

Then, the following season, Olivia began working on her pitching and recalled falling in love immediately– even though she admitted that her skills needed some work.

“I remember volunteering to pitch when all of our pitchers were too tired to throw. I had absolutely no control. Hitting batters, throwing it above their heads, at their ankles, behind their backs. But I fell in love with the position,” Olivia said on her website.

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So, she never let the roadblocks derail her goal of getting better.

Olivia and her father just kept working on her pitching together, and by the age of eight, she was able to start her first-ever game on the mound.

“The boys were giddy with excitement knowing they were facing a girl. I struck out the side in the first inning,” she recalled.

Despite her apparent skills, though, Olivia was still constantly told that the game would “leave her behind.”

And as she progressed to higher skill levels and competitive circuits, she would even be asked to consider playing softball instead.

According to Olivia, though, changing her passion just because of a glass ceiling was never in the cards.

“Every time I progress to the next level, more and more people would ask me about switching to softball. There’s no shade towards softball, but it’s just that I have never played softball before,” she said in an interview with NPR.

And rather than letting those statements of doubt about a possible career in baseball discourage her, Olivia just used the naysayers to fuel her competitive fire.

“I just kept playing and working harder,” the teen said.

Now, Olivia’s commitment and determination are finally paying off. Not only was she accepted into her “favorite Ivy League school,” but she will also join thirty other Brown baseball players on the Spring 2023 roster. The season is set to open on February 24 with a four-game series against Georgia State.

And in the meantime, Olivia revealed she would be focusing on her studies and her training while also trying to enjoy her college experience– without stressing too much about her reputation as a trailblazer in the history of baseball.

“I did achieve my goal of playing D1 baseball at a really good school academically. I am trying to take it day by day, really just focusing on becoming the best baseball player that I can be and doing what I can to help out the team,” she said.

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