Brown’s Olivia Pichardo Becomes 1st Woman to Play in Division I Baseball Game

Olivia Pichardo made history Friday as the first woman ever to appear in a Division I baseball game.

The freshman made a pinch-hit appearance for Brown in the team’s home opener against Bryant, per Alberto Camargo of NCAA.com. She grounded out to first base on the first pitch she saw.

Pichardo was already the first woman to make a Division I baseball roster after excelling in a tryout during the fall, earning a roster spot in November for the 2023 spring season.

“It was definitely a surreal moment for me because it’s something that I’ve wanted since eighth grade,” Pichardo said after earning her spot. “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.”

The Queens, New York native had been focused on baseball over softball throughout her career, competing on travel teams in middle school and the varsity high school team at Garden School.

She continued this pursuit after entering Brown in the fall, and Brown head coach Grant Achilles said she excelled as a middle infielder, outfielder and pitcher in her tryout.

Pichardo made the roster and is listed as a utility player.

The first appearance came at the plate, but the young player could feature in a lot of ways this season for the Bears.