Olivia Huffman

Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services

Photo by: Tessa Mortensen

Olivia Huffman rounding third on home run

Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services

Position:
Catcher
Height:
5-9
Class:
Senior
High School:
East Ridge
Hometown:
Woodbury, Minn.

END OF CAREER NOTES
• Graduated in the summer of 2019 with a degree in biology
• 2017-18 Easton/NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete
• 2018 & 2019 Academic All-MAC
• Has scored five game-winning runs, while driving in six game-winning RBIs over her Ball State career
• Played in 151 of a possible 168 games over her Ball State career, earning 137 starts, with 130 at catcher, four as the designated player and three in right field
• On Ball State’s Career Charts: 2nd in stolen base percentage (.926), 3rd in times hit by a pitch (27), 7th in putouts (815), 9th in chances (909), 10th in walks (79), 14th in fielding percentage (.985), 17th in on base percentage (.391)
• On Ball State’s Single Season Charts (highest ranking only): 3rd in times hit by a pitch (12 in 2017), 5th in walks (33 in 2018), 17th in putouts (304 in 2017), 18th in chances (336 in 2017)

2019 (Sr.): Earned third letter at Ball State ... Academic All-Mid-American Conference ... played in 44 games, earning 35 starts ... made 33 starts as catcher and two as the designated player ... collected five hits on the season, including a double and a pair of home runs ... also drew 22 walks and was hit by a pitch five times for a .368 on base percentage ... scored 14 runs and tallied seven RBI ... ranked second on the squad with seven stolen bases, going a perfect 7-for-7 on the year ... her first hit of the season was a two-run home run versus Penn State (Feb. 8) ... drove in what proved to be the game-winning run versus Quinnipiac (Feb. 17) with an eighth-inning walk-off bases loaded walk ... also singled and drew another walk earlier in the game ... picked up her second game-winning RBI of the season with a bases loaded hit-by-pitch at North Florida (March 8) ... collected an RBI single in the second game victory at Akron (March 23) ... picked up another RBI on a bases loaded walk in the opening game at Northern Illinois (April 2) ... went 2-for-3 in the win over Toledo (April 19) with a leadoff double in the fourth and a leadoff home run in the sixth ... reached base safely in 22 games ... had a hand in two of the team's 19 double plays ... led the team with 225 putouts and logged 23 assists while committing just three errors for a .988 fielding percentage ... threw out six runners trying to steal a base.

2018 (Jr.): Earned second letter at Ball State … Easton/NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete … Academic All-MAC … played in 51 games, earning 47 starts … made 42 starts at catcher, three in right field and two as the designated player … finished the season with a .223 batting average, including four doubles and three home runs … drew 33 walks and was hit by a pitch 10 times to help her rank 11th in the MAC with a .436 on base percentage … her 10 times being hit by a pitch ranked second in the MAC, while her 33 walks were sixth … scored 22 runs and tallied 15 RBIs on the year … led the team with nine stolen bases, going 9-for-11 in stolen base attempts for the year … scored three game-winning runs and drove in three game-winning RBI on the season … scored her first game-winning run after drawing her first of two walks versus LIU-Brooklyn (Feb. 9) … her first RBI of the season came on a seventh inning single to center field to drive in the game-winning run at ECU (Feb. 23) … blasted her first home run of the season at Tennessee State (March 17), going 2-for-3 in the 14-4 (5 inn.) victory with two RBI and a run scored … opened league play by scoring the game-winning run in the series opener versus Bowling Green (March 23) after drawing her first to two walks in the game, with her second walk being a RBI walks … deposited a three-run home run over the left field fence in the opening game of a doubleheader at Akron (March 31), driving in what proved to be the game-winning run … recorded a two-run double down the left field line in the bottom of the third to drive in the eventual game-winner in the second game of a twin bill versus Kent State (April 4) … came around to score what stood to be the game-winning run in the second game of a doubleheader at Eastern Michigan (April 29) after drawing a first-winning walk … added her third home run of the season in the 4-2 win over Kent State (May 11) in the MAC Tournament … registered a season-long five-game hitting streak starting in the second game versus Western Michigan (April 13) and ending after the first game at Central Michigan (April 21), which also capped a season-long streak of reaching base safely in 13 straight games starting in the opening game of the DH at Akron … reached base safely in 37 of the 51 games she played … led the team with 286 putouts and logged 29 assists to go along with a .978 fielding percentage ... tied for second in the MAC, throwing out 10 batters trying to steal a base.

2017 (So.): Earned first letter at Ball State … played in 56 games, earning 55 starts at catcher … finished the season with a .127 batting average, including two doubles and a pair of home runs … earned a .355 on base percentage aided by 24 walks and a MAC-leading 12 hit by pitches … the 12 hit by pitches were the third-most in a single season in program history and tie for 11th in the Ball State career record book … ranked second on the team with nine stolen base, going a perfect 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts … scored 17 runs and tallied 11 RBI … her first Ball State hit was a RBI single versus Drake (Feb. 17) which drove in what stood to be the game-winning run in the contest … strung together a season-long four game hitting streak starting versus Georgia Southern (Feb. 25) and ending after the game versus Penn (March 3) … scored what proved to be the game-winning run versus St. Bonaventure (March 5) after reaching base via a walk and stealing second … also scored the game-winning run at SIUE (March 18) after reaching base courtesy of a walk … logged her first two-hit game with the Cardinals in the second game at Buffalo (March 24), with a RBI single in the second and a RBI double in the sixth which sealed the 9-1 victory … her second two-hit game came in the series opener versus NIU (April 4) which included her first Ball State home run, a two-run blast in the bottom of the second that tied the score at 2-2 in a 3-2 Cardinals’ win … also provided a pair of hits in the series opener versus Eastern Michigan (April 14), starting with a two-run double in the third and followed by a two-run home run in the fifth to help account for four of Ball State’s runs in the 8-0 victory … tied for seventh in the MAC by catching 11 runners trying to steal … accumulated 304 put outs and 28 assists on the year, while earning a .988 fielding percentage … led all MAC catchers, who played exclusively behind the plate, by having a hand in turning five double plays.

SOUTH DAKOTA – 2016 (Fr.): Played in 22 of 53 games … earned 13 starts, including eight at catcher … finished the season with a .209 (9-for-43) batting average … her first collegiate hit was a two-run home run versus San Diego (Feb. 20) … tallied back-to-back two-hit games versus Central Michigan (March 11) and Army (March 12) … logged her first career double in the 4-3 win over the Chippewas … drove in a pair of runs in the 4-3 victory over the Cadets … finished the season with five RBIs … named to the Summit League honor roll.

HIGH SCHOOL: Earned five letters in softball at East Ridge High School for coach Afton Murray … named first team all-state as a senior after batting .394 with nine doubles, two home runs and a triple … also scored 21 runs and collected 16 RBIs her senior season, while earning 18 free passes (13 walks / five hit by pitches) … named team Most Valuable Player and earned all-state honorable mention honors as a junior after batting .500 with 11 doubles, three home runs, 18 RBIs and 20 runs scored … tallied .333 batting averages as a freshman and a sophomore, combining for 10 doubles, 25 runs scored and 23 RBIs over the two-year span … helped guide the Raptors to a sectional runner-up finish her freshman year … played AAU ball for the Minnesota Sting … also lettered in basketball and volleyball at East Ridge.

PERSONAL: Daughter of Scott and Barb Huffman … has two brothers, David and Taylor, and one sister, Jocelyn … both of her brothers run track and cross country for Bethel University … her father played football at Bethel University … born Jan. 21, 1997 in St. Paul, Minn. … full name is Olivia Katherine Huffman … graduated in the summer of 2019 with a degree in biology.

WHY I CHOSE BALL STATE: I chose Ball State softball because of the coaches' commitment to take this team to the top. Not only are they invested in the team as a whole, but they are also invested in each of us as individuals. They show us how to support our team like members of a family. The atmosphere of this program is one of strong character, hard work and dedication to representing Ball State well both on and off the field. I am so proud to be a Cardinal.