Women's Baseball World Cup star Olivia Pichardo makes history as first girl to pitch in Division 1 College Baseball
Women's Baseball World Cup star Olivia Pichardo made history on Saturday, April 25, 2026, when she became the first girl to pitch in a NCAA Division 1 baseball game. Pichardo took the mound with the Brown University leading 16-4 against Cornell University and retired the only batter she faced on a grounder to shortstop.
Born on February 26, 2004, in Queens, New York, Pichardo made her debut with the Women's Baseball National Team as a pitcher in a friendly series against No. 3 Canada in June 2022. She then represented USA at the Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage 2023, and helped them to a silver medal in the 2024 Finals.
Pichardo was the first female student-athlete to feature on an NCAA Division 1 baseball roster. Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, announced in November 2022 that she had made the 2023 team.
On March 17, 2023, Pichardo became the first woman to play in a Division 1 game. She entered as a pinch-hitter against Bryant University. On April 6, 2024, she recorded her first collegiate run.
Olivia played in two different collegiate Suller Leagues. In 2023, she played 21 games, covering all three outfield positions for the Sag Harbor Whalers of the Hamptons Collegiate League (HCBL). She also pitched three games out of the bullpen.
The following season, she played 16 games for the Dubois County Bombers of the Prospect League, mainly in right field. She also interned with the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB) amateur scouting department.
Infielder Julie Crouteau became the first woman to play college baseball when she made the team at St.Mary's College in 1989. She would also become the first woman to coach in NCAA baseball.
Catcher Alexia George (St. Elisabeth University), who played for the US Women's National Team in 2019, and pitcher Alli Schroeder (Vancouver Island University), who played for Canada in the Women's Baseball World Cup 2018, committed for the 2022 season.
Baseball for All lists 16 female players in college baseball before Pichardo. None of them competed at the Division 1 level.