A Landmark Moment for Diversity in Sports
Columbia University’s softball team has welcomed Olivia Madkins as its first-ever Black player.
The 18-year-old freshman outfielder and sociology major made her debut on March 17, etching her name in the Ivy League institution’s history books.
“A Gut Feeling of Exactly Where I Want to Be”
A native of Los Angeles, Madkins has nurtured a passion for softball since the age of 8. Her decision to commit to Columbia was solidified after attending a camp during the summer of 2021.
“I just absolutely fell in love with the coaching staff, the environment, and it was just a gut feeling of this is exactly where I want to be,” she told Andscape.
“After that camp, I stayed in contact with coach Jennifer Teague and sent her a bunch of videos. Sept. 1 of my junior year, we set up my official visit, and I committed about 18 days later. Columbia was kind of a gut feeling for me. I knew this is where I wanted to be, and I don’t regret my decision at all.”
A Serendipitous Discovery of Her Trailblazing Role
Madkins initially had no idea she would be making history by joining the team. It was her coach, Jennifer Teagues, who broke the news on the day she received her offer.
“Coach T actually let me know that I would be the first [Black player], and of course, my first reaction was like, ‘OK, you mean like the first since you’ve been coaching here?’ But she was like no, no, the first,” Madkins recounted.
Despite her initial shock, Madkins embraced the gravity of the moment, viewing it as an opportunity to empower and inspire. “I’ve always thought of softball as a means for me to do bigger things with my life,” she said. “I just saw an opportunity to do good for a lot of people and really empower my community.”
Breaking Down Barriers, One Game at a Time
While being the sole Black player on a softball team is a familiar experience for Madkins, she draws inspiration from trailblazers like Odicci Alexander.
“Seeing Black girls compete on the biggest stage makes you super excited and want to be a part of that,” she expressed.
Paving the Way for Future Generations
Madkins won’t be alone for long, as Columbia prepares to welcome two more Black players, Kyra Mason and Alicia Marzouca, in its upcoming recruiting class. Coach Teagues expressed her excitement, stating, “I think it’s really exciting because [Liv] could not wait to be a host of one of them this past fall.
You know she’s told us numerous times she just wants to make sure that they have the best experience and that she can help make our program and athletic department comfortable for them.”
Teagues emphasized that ushering in more diversity on the team is a reflection of the program’s values and the melting pot that is New York City. “It really started with us evaluating what we wanted our program to stand for,” she explained. “Columbia looks a lot like New York City in terms of being a melting pot, and our program did not look like that, and that bothered me.”
