After diving into a fence at Harvard during her sophomore year, SJ Mull ’25 encountered her second season-ending injury, tearing her LUCL and UCL and shattering the radial head in her right elbow. But, she hasn’t allowed that injury to prevent her from becoming an outstanding captain and leader who will go down in Yale softball history.

“Most would have walked away from the sport experiencing the injuries and surgeries that she has. But, SJ just keeps fighting her way back,” head coach Laura Ricciardone wrote to the News. “That sort of unbreakable spirit is something you can’t teach, nor can you replace.”

Mull is no stranger to this fighting spirit.

She grew up in a competitive household in Louisiana, where she played both softball and soccer. Her family would play slow pitch together at family events, and as a kid, she would ask to play catch with her dad almost every day.

“I was addicted to getting better at it, and that’s how I fell in love with it at a very young age,” Mull said.

Throughout high school, Mull competed in and was very successful at both sports — softball and soccer. With multiple Louisiana State Championship soccer titles under her belt, Mull initially began the college recruiting process for that sport, taking a break from playing softball for two years.

The recruiting process didn’t go as planned for soccer, and eventually, she sat down and asked herself, “Which [sport] would I love to practice every single day for four years? Which one would I have the most fun getting better at every single day?”

Softball ended up being the answer.

After taking a gap year during the pandemic, she arrived on campus in New Haven ready to rep the Bulldogs.

“You only get four years here, and I wanted to live them to their fullest,” Mull said.

Although her time playing for Yale softball has been riddled with challenges, a broken finger freshman year and then her surgeries sophomore year, she has persevered and grown to be one of the team’s most valuable contributors, on and off the field.

Mull has played over 100 games despite her two season-ending injuries and is someone her teammates know they can look up to.

“Because she shows up so consistently and demands excellence of herself, she inspires our whole team to follow her,” teammate Mady Smith ’25 wrote to the News. “I’ve had the privilege of seeing SJ every day for the last four years grow into the tenacious and empathetic leader she is today, and I’m so proud of the legacy she’s leaving as a teammate, leader and athlete.”

Mull was elected the captain of the women’s softball team for the 2024-25 season in the fall of her senior year.

“I always tell people it’s the greatest honor of my life,” Mull said. “Yale softball is at the center of every decision I make.”

Mull is a player who is willing to go above and beyond for her team. She is always ready to step up in any situation, whether it means making the big catches, learning new positions or being someone her teammates can look to for guidance. 

Both her teammates and coach emphasized to the News her dedication to the team and how she embodies the culture of the Yale softball program, citing her “infectious personality,” grit and unwavering work ethic.

“She’s our ‘glue guy,’” teammate Lauren Perren ’25 wrote to the News. “She’s a person who brings everyone into the fold and makes you feel like your contribution matters.”

Even after her sophomore year injury, where there were doubts she would return to the game, Mull remained positive. Her coaches and teammates were “monumental” in her recovery journey, she said. 

Although she still sometimes struggles with her elbow, she doesn’t take any days on the field for granted.

“Going through that injury made me realize how much I love playing,” Mull said. “The possibility of it being taken away was super jarring because I love this game so much.”

Mull’s determination to return to the game and succeed translates to her character as a leader. Until recent years, Yale softball hasn’t had much success in the Ivy League. Last year, however, they ended the season 14–7, punching a ticket to the Ivy League softball tournament as the No. 2 seed.

Under Mull’s leadership and teamwork, the team has been able to make progress quickly, challenging and competing with each other every day. Much of this is due to the fact that the team is very close-knit, and the players all feed off of each other’s energy and competitiveness.

“We are all empowered to step up as leaders,” Perren wrote to the News.

However, when facing high-pressure situations, Mull’s teammates still turn to her for encouragement and guidance. She reminds the team about their long-term goal — winning an Ivy League title — while also keeping them focused on the fact that the most important game is the one in front of them.

“From a young age, [my parents] taught me the importance of a strong work ethic and leaning into the hard moments,” said Mull. 

In addition to demanding excellence of herself every day — from enduring uncomfortable practices to facing tough opponents — she pushes her teammates to succeed as well. She is the “epitome of a team player and program leader,” Ricciardone wrote to the News.

“It is difficult for me to imagine Yale Softball without SJ Mull in it, actually,” Ricciardone continued. “She has sown many seeds for us in her years here that will bear fruit for decades of teams to come.”

Mull and the Bulldogs take on Fairfield University (14–18, 8–2 MAAC) this Wednesday in Fairfield, CT.

The post SOFTBALL: “The epitome of a team player and program leader”: Who is Softball Captain SJ Mull ’25? appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Yale (15–13, 5–1 Ivy) hosted the Bulldog Invitational from March 7 to March 9, where they went against the University of Maine (6–20, 0–3 America East), Central Connecticut State (10–15, 5–1 NEC) and Sacred Heart (10–12, 1–2 MAAC). The Bulldogs triumphed against CCSU and Sacred Heart, but split games with the University of Maine.

The Bulldogs tackled Providence College (11–17, 6–3 Big East), Holy Cross (4–18, 0–3 Patriot League) and Boston University (19–10, 3–0 Patriot League) in a series of out-of-conference doubleheader games. They split with Providence, winning the first game 8–4 but falling short in the second, 3–7. Yale dominated against Holy Cross, winning both games by five or more runs, but ultimately fell against a strong Boston University team. 

Going into Ivy League play with a 9–10 record, the Bulldogs opened against Penn, winning all three games during their matchup in New Haven. Yale started off strong and was able to hold off a comeback from the Quakers late in the first game, winning 12–10, before dominating in the second game of the doubleheader, winning 9–0. Despite Penn getting off to a quick start in the beginning of the third game and leading 7–1 by the top of the second inning, Yale came back late to take the win, 8–7.

The three games had outstanding performances on both the fielding and batting sides, with multiple players scoring more than one run, including Ella Gandolfo ’28, Isabella Fortini ’27, Sophie Woodridge ’25, Elena Ohe ’27 and Kaitlyn Oikle ’27. Gandolfo scored two runs in all three games. With the 9–0 win, Emma Taylor ’26 secured her fifth win of the season, having struck out six batters in over 5.1 innings.

The Bulldogs then split the doubleheader at Cornell before winning the third game. Although the Big Red had a whopping 21 runs by the bottom of the third in the second game, Yale fought back to score 10 runs in the next two innings. However, this was not enough to come back. Gandolfo once again scored two runs while Fortini had four runs batted in, leading the Bulldogs. Yale closed the series against Cornell with a hard-fought 8–7 win, with everyone contributing. 

Yale will continue conference play this weekend at Princeton (8–12, 3–0 Ivy).

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After a tough 5–7 loss against Tarleton (11–4, 0–0 WAC) on Friday, the Elis tackled the sixth annual Boerner Invitational in Arlington, where they played UT Arlington (7–8, 0–0 WAC), North Texas (12–2, 0–0 AAC) and Northwestern State (1–13, 0–0 SLC). They came away victorious against Northwestern State but ultimately fell to UT Arlington and North Texas.

Tarleton started off strong, holding the Bulldogs six runs to nothing by the end of the fourth inning. SJ Mull ’25 led Yale’s fight back with a hit that allowed Isabella Fortini ’27 to score a run in the top of the fifth. The Bulldogs racked up four other runs in the following inning. Despite their opponent’s huge run in the sixth inning, Tarleton kept Yale scoreless in the top of the seventh, securing their home win.

This game saw outstanding contributions from various players, including Fortini and Ella Cross ’28. In addition to her one run, Fortini had two hits on three at-bats and one run batted in. As just a first year, Cross made her mark with two hits, two runs batted in and one run, while Kaitlin Oikle ’27 recorded her first hit and run batted in. Ultimately, the Bulldogs’ late start led to a close loss against the Texans.

The Boerner Invitational took place over two days at the Allan Saxe Field in Arlington. Yale fell to North Texas 12–0 and UT Arlington 9–5 on opening day. 

Although both the Bulldogs and North Texas started off slow — scoreless after the first two innings — the Mean Green jumped ahead with a whopping 10 runs in the bottom of the third. Yale failed to score for the remaining two innings, and North Texas secured the win with two more runs in the fourth inning.

The Bulldogs came out to a late start as they turned their attention to UT Arlington. The Mavericks gained a 9–0 lead by the third inning. 

Despite the tough beginning, Yale kept the Mavericks scoreless for the remainder of the game and scored five runs, with Lauren Perren ’25 scoring a home run — two runs total — and two runs batted in. 

Yale split on the second day of the invitational, beating Northwestern State 5–2 but falling to North Texas 10–3 in their second meeting. 

Fortini, Cross, Perren and Oikle once again had excellent performances, with Perren hitting her second home run of the season against Northwestern State. Cross and Oikle each had two hits on three at-bats against Northwestern State and North Texas, respectively, while Fortini added three RBIs in the Bulldogs’ game against Northwestern State.

The Bulldogs look to turn things around and continue out-of-conference play against Central Connecticut State (0–4, 0–0 NEC) this Wednesday at home.

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He started the passion project in spring 2019, capturing a Yale men’s lacrosse game against Georgetown. Now, his photographs are viewed by thousands and seen in many of the Yale Athletics previews and recaps. His Instagram account, @schamisshots, has amassed over 22,000 followers. 

“All 35 teams want him … he’s doing it for the love of Yale and our teams,”  Yale Athletics Director Vicky Chun told the News. “He always gets the money shot, which is really hard to do.”

For Schamis, taking photos started as a hobby, but “definitely moved from hobby to obsession over time.” He obtained his first digital camera when his son was a baby, and later took on his first sports photography assignment by signing up to be the photographer for his son’s football team in high school. Through YouTube videos and tutorials, Schamis learned many of the sports photography basics online.

To this day, Schamis attends and photographs sporting events at Choate Rosemary Hall, where his kids have attended high school. These include lacrosse, football and volleyball games. 

“I love it,” he said. “It’s fun, this is where I got my start, and the kids really appreciate it.”

In high school, Schamis played football and lacrosse and was recruited for the Yale lacrosse team. 

After graduation, he wanted to continue participating in athletics even though he was going into the finance industry.

“It always bothered me after I left Yale that I didn’t really achieve what I should’ve, in retrospect, athletically,” he said. “In a weird way, the photographing and being on the sidelines with these kids, and getting to know the kids on a lot of these teams — felt like a way to redeem myself.”

Schamis particularly values the connections he forms with the athletes on the teams he photographs, emphasizing that “the better you know the sport and the better you know the team, the better your photographs will be.”

Although he lives on Long Island, NY, Schamis attends every Yale lacrosse game, most football games and some basketball, volleyball and hockey games and gymnastics meets. His sideline pass allows him to be on the field right next to the athletes at every home sporting event, and the Yale Athletics Department helps him secure passes for away games.

“It’s great to be on the field,” Schamis said. “It’s a much different perspective than sitting in the stands or watching on TV, and you really feel the competition and how lively it is on the field.”

Schamis has photographed many of Yale’s historic wins and losses, but his most memorable event, he said, was capturing the Bulldogs’ upset against Auburn this past March Madness tournament. 

Sitting under Yale’s basket facing the team and shooting from a low angle, Schamis took thousands of photos.

At sporting events, Schamis typically takes up to 3,000 photos. Unlike professional photographers, Schamis includes both a “highlights” folder, with edited best photos, and a folder that includes every single photo taken when he sends out his photos after editing. 

Schamis said that one of the major differences between his work and that of hired professionals is that he gives students and Yale Athletics access to all of his materials. 

“When you’re a parent or you’re a kid playing a sport, you don’t really care about the artistic quality of a sports photo,” he said. “You care to see the one photo your kid was in, especially if your kid doesn’t play a lot, or the one that meant a lot to them.”

His ability to capture every student-athlete’s contribution to the team does not go unnoticed. His son, Samuel Schamis ’25, appreciates seeing his friends’ joy when getting that picture-perfect shot. 

Samuel Schamis has served as the student manager of the Yale men’s lacrosse team since the spring of 2022. 

“That’s really what I appreciate … seeing the players and the parents be so happy when they get the photos,” said Samuel Schamis ’25, who helps distribute the photo links to his friends and teammates.

What started off as a hobby has allowed Schamis to follow teams and athletes he cares about. “Having the Saturdays and Sundays to do this over the years has been really incredibly therapeutic,” he said. 

Some of Schamis’ more recent photographs — including one from Yale’s win over Harvard in last year’s rendition of The Game and one from Yale’s upset against Auburn — have been immortalized on the walls of the Mory’s Association at 306 York St.

The post PROFILE: Yale Athletics, as shot by David Schamis ’95 appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Yale offers 38 different sports across 48 club teams for students to compete in, ranging from those commonly played like basketball and swimming to more niche activities like martial arts and indoor climbing. Most tryouts are held in the first few weeks of September.

The competitive nature of the tryout process varies by sport.

When asked about her experience trying out for the club tennis team, Amelia Lee ’26 emphasized the high level of competition. 

“I think there were 106 people who tried out,” she said to the News. “I didn’t think I would make it — I didn’t come with my tennis shoes because I knew I wouldn’t make it,” she said. 

With the team being co-ed, tryouts were “intense” and practices have a similar environment. Now, as one of the team’s captains, Lee has made it a goal to ensure that everyone feels welcome at practices and events, regardless of gender or previous tennis experience.

Some teams don’t hold tryouts at all. For example, the Women’s Rugby Team welcomes players of all levels of experience to join. Many of the club sports teams share the same philosophy, which encourages students to step out of their comfort zone and try activities they have never done before. 

“The rugby girls were so enthusiastic,” said Katie Flemming ’28, a new member of the Yale Women’s Rugby Team, who was approached by the team at Bulldog Days. “They really, really cared about me specifically and getting me to play and they kept gushing about how much fun it was.”

Some sports, such as men’s and women’s soccer, running and polo, offer multiple teams at different skill and competition levels so students can compete at the one with which they are most comfortable. 

The Yale Club Running Team offers different pace groups, which welcomes beginners and well-versed marathon runners alike. 

“We want to get out the idea that Yale Club Running is supposed to be a welcoming space, and you don’t have to be a super fast runner to join,” said Chloe Edwards ’26, a captain of the team and a photography editor at the News. 

The team attends various competitions and runs in the northeast region, including the 47th annual Faxon Law New Haven Road Race over Labor Day weekend, where they met up with both new and returning members. 

Club sports that are less competitive can be an opportunity for students who share an interest in a sport to meet one another. In addition to multiple practice sessions per week, which members are never required to attend, they also share team meals and host team events, like watch parties and mixers. Beyond staying fit and finding a place for themselves on a team, these athletes also find lifelong friends. 

The Yale Rugby Team, the oldest club sport at Yale, was founded in 1875.

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