Brown University freshman Olivia Pichardo made NCAA history this week by becoming the first woman to be named to a Division I varsity baseball roster.
The 18-year-old from Queens, N.Y., began her collegiate baseball journey this semester while participating in walk-on tryouts for the Bears baseball team. Then Pichardo completed an assessment process which included practices and workouts with the current roster.
“It was definitely a surreal moment for me because it’s something that I’ve wanted since eighth grade, Pichardo said, via Brown’s press release. “It’s kind of crazy to know that I’m living out my dream right now and my ideal college experience that I’ve always wanted, so that’s really cool.