On March 11, Penn softball’s Megan Huang didn’t understand why her phone was ringing off the hook.
The freshman outfielder from Cypress, Texas, opened her phone to find dozens of messages from her Penn softball teammates. Fearing that she had done something wrong, Huang answered a phone call from coach Christie Novatin, who told her the opposite: She had just been named the Ivy League Co-Rookie of the Week.
Huang hit the ground running in her first season as a Quaker. She currently holds the third-best batting average on the team at .302, is a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts, and is the first — and only — Quaker so far to earn an Ivy League-wide honor this season.
But before she began firing up Penn Park, Huang found her spark for softball in the dry Texas heat. Her introduction to softball can be defined as better late than never. Huang first started playing at the age of eight, a little later than her peers, and almost didn’t get the chance to play at all.
“I joined the rec league in my hometown and I actually missed the last day to register,” Huang said. “But luckily, a lady’s husband who my dad worked with was on the board and he pulled a few strings so I was able to join, and the rest is history.”
Huang defines the softball culture in Texas as a big community yet a small world, often going up against the same opponents at travel ball tournaments throughout the years. Competition in Texas is fierce, according to Huang, due to the level of play and the physical environment — she once had a tournament canceled because the ground was so hot that it was melting her cleats.
Huang wasn’t always the outfielder that her current teammates have come to rely on. She grew up as a catcher, but made the switch to the outfield in high school. Despite this change, her goal remained the same: playing Division I softball. Penn, to her, was “a perfect fit.”
The outfielder began her collegiate softball career at a time of intense change for the Penn softball program. Not only did the Quakers have a new coach in Novatin, but the team also acquired assistant coaches Christina Biggerstaff and Kristin Hallam to improve pitching and recruiting, respectively. Huang was initially nervous since the coaches who recruited her were no longer with the program, but she was relieved to learn that new coaching staff was committed to starting the year with a clean slate.
“Being a part of the start of what my coaches are building for the program makes me feel so incredibly lucky,” Huang said of the coaching staff’s commitment to success. “Their leadership and attitude has given me so much confidence and excitement for the future of this program and what we all can accomplish together.”
Team culture has been Huang’s favorite aspect of her first year as a Quaker. She prides herself on the fact that she plays best when she’s having fun, which she has had plenty of with her Red and Blue teammates. Huang has especially bonded with her fellow outfielders, seniors Brianna Brown and Julia Mortimer, which has made her connection to the team even stronger.
“I am so incredibly lucky that I get to play next to two amazing girls who not only bring so much talent to this team, but [also] leadership and selflessness. They both took the time out of their lives to build a relationship with me both on and off the field, which has strengthened our communication and trust we have for one another in the outfield,” Huang said of Brown and Mortimer.
Huang attributes her immediate success on the diamond to her team’s motto of manifestation. Having the support of her teammates and coaching staff at all times has strengthened her confidence to the point that she can envision her success before she steps up to the plate.
“Another key focus [of the team] has been about attitude and the importance of it. Softball is such a mentally demanding sport, and I just believe it's so crucial to bring a positive attitude every time you step onto the field or into the weight room,” Huang said. “Attitude is a choice and as a team, we work together every day in order to create a culture of trust and support, which I believe has brought success to our team this season.”
As her first season begins to wind down, Huang is prioritizing fun on the field above all else. With the rest of her collegiate career ahead of her, the outfielder is trying to take it all in instead of thinking too far ahead. However, Huang is certain that she will remember the bonds she’s made well beyond her playing years.
“I want to be remembered by this team as a player who positively influenced the team camaraderie,” she said. “I hope that my fun-spirited personality will engrave a supportive and uplifting atmosphere that is memorable and remains long after I graduate.”
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