This fall 17-year-old Julia Jodouin of St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School will be making history as the second and youngest female athlete in Ontario University Athletics’ (OUA) history to play for a men’s varsity baseball team. Julia will be working towards a Bachelor of Science in Nursing starting this September. She joins the team as a pitcher.
“One of the main reasons I accepted the offer at Laurentian was so that I could continue to play ball,” Jodouin said. “I am excited to begin my journey at Laurentian pursuing two things I love – nursing and baseball. September can’t come soon enough!”
Jodouin’s athletic success landed her a spot on the Sudbury Shamrocks peewee travelling team. She then joined the Team Ontario 16U girls’ team for two seasons. She played a summer of both softball and hardball with the Waterloo Ghosts Gold 16U fastpitch team, making it all the way to Nationals. She was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) and All-Star 1st Base Player with Team Ontario 21U Women’s team.
Jodouin continues to highlight her exemplary skills at all levels earning as spot on the Canadian Women’s National team. Last summer she participated in a development series playing for Canada against Team USA.
“Jodouin is an excellent player. Having someone of that calibre on the team will raise the bar for each and every player,” said Brodie Jeffery, coach of the men’s baseball team at Laurentian. “When starting a baseball program from the ground up, you need good players to build a solid foundation. Julia not only brings the necessary talent, but also steadfast determination and commitment to the sport.”