Yale Athletics

For many athletes, one season-ending injury is enough to change their lives forever.

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.