Being a freshman softball pitcher at Binghamton University, Brianna Roberts has already had a year full of adjustments and learning how to play at a higher level. She arrived on campus in August and took part in the Bearcats' fall season – which does not count towards a softball program's win-loss record. Like many of her teammates who had outstanding high school careers, Roberts had to raise her performance once she got to the collegiate level.

It wasn't just at Binghamton where Roberts got to compete at a higher level this past fall. In November, she played for the Puerto Rican National Team at the Pan Am Games in Guatemala. Instead of playing with college players, she got to compete with some of the biggest names in Puerto Rican softball history – including several players who had distinguished college careers in the United States.

In short, Roberts has come a long way in sixth months and there is no question in her mind that she is a better player because of her experiences.

Deep Roots

Roberts grew up in Monroe, New York and had a stellar career at Monroe-Woodbury High School. She finished her career with a perfect 42-0 record on the mound and was the consensus New York State Class AA Player of the Year in 2022.

Roberts' mother Penny played a central role in her softball career. A member of the Puerto Rican National Team that competed at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, she was also the Monroe-Woodbury head coach.

"My mom was always my coach," Roberts said. "She coached me ever since I played tee-ball at age five. But we always found a good balance in making sure her role as my coach didn't cause problems in her role in being my mom."

Penny's grandparents grew up in Puerto Rico, settled in New York City in the 1960s and eventually moved to Rockland County in Upstate New York. Although Penny was not born in Puerto Rico, she was able to play on the country's National Team. This was because up to two generations of a native Puerto Rican's family are eligible to represent their country in international competition.

Like her mother, Brianna didn't grow up in Puerto Rico but was able to visit the country multiple times and establish connections with many relatives.

"I've been there four times," she said. "I met several aunts, uncles and cousins when I was there. It was really cool to see the culture down there because I had always heard so much about everything from my mom."

Brianna's mom also told her stories about her years of playing with the Puerto Rican National Team growing up. One story stood out to her years later.

"In 1994, my mom played at the Pan Am Games in Guatemala during the last years of that country's civil war," she said. "There was so much civil unrest down there that the team had to stay in military barracks."

Big Choices

In 2019, as Roberts was beginning her high school career at Monroe Woodbury, she became aware of the Puerto Rican Junior National Team.
"I found out about the team because Caeser Hernandez – the manager of the Ponce team that I played for – made my aware of it," she said. "We decided to go down to Florida to meet with them and I was able to try out and join the team for a tournament in Colombia."

That tournament was a qualifying event. By her own admission, Roberts was more nervous for that tournament than she had been in her life.

 "I was in a different country and was rooming with people I didn't even know," she said. "I was so nervous going into that tournament but we all meshed so well as a team and had a great team culture."

Two years later, Roberts had to try out again for the Puerto Rican Junior National Team that competed at the 2021 World Games. She made that team, which capped off the tournament with a bronze medal.

 "The bronze medal game against Mexico was a great day," she said. "I was able to pitch all seven innings, a friend of mine had a bases-loaded hit and my cousin made a diving catch in the outfield."

That bronze medal remains in her home in Monroe but Roberts now resides in Binghamton, thanks to another big choice in her life. She was highly recruited coming out of high school but eventually chose to stay close to home and continue her career as a Bearcat.

"When I got to Binghamton I met three amazing coaches that I connected with right away,'' she said. "I knew this could be my home for the next four years.''
One semester into college, Roberts has no regrets about her decision to come to Binghamton.

"There is a lot to learn and prove now that I am playing in college but the older girls on this team have been so welcoming," she said. It was overwhelming at first, but I took it one day at a time. The coaches have been amazing and I have improved both physically and mentally."

Competing On the Big Stage

Binghamton's 2022 fall ball season ended in October – but Roberts still had one big softball endeavor remaining. That was her first tournament with the Puerto Rican National Team at the aforementioned 2022 Pan Am Games in Guatemala.

The tournament was in November – which meant that Roberts would miss class time. She found, however, supportive professors, coaches and teammates both before and during her trip.

"My class professors have been very nice and very excited for me," she said. "They said they realize how good an opportunity playing in the Pan Am Games was. I've been used to doing work online since I was home schooled up through middle school and also had to do online work during the pandemic."

If there were nerves heading into the Junior National Pan Am Games in 2019, there were more nerves that Roberts had this time around. There was no age limit on Puerto Rico's top team. Many players were in their late 20s and early 30s and had starred on the national team for over a decade. Some of them had distinguished careers at the NCAA Division I level in the U.S.

"It was surreal playing with such legends," Roberts said. "I had looked up to these girls for years but they really took us under their wings."

Once the team arrived in Guatemala, Roberts saw a very different country than her mother did back in 1994.

"The country signed a peace accord a few years after my mom played there so everything changed for the better," she said. "There were shopping malls, we stayed in a nice place and we got to tour around the country. My mom couldn't believe it."

Roberts' mother, meanwhile, provided her with the most valuable piece of advice heading into the Pan Am Games.

 "I told my mom how nervous I was but she – as always – gave me the best advice," Roberts said. "She told me I was there to learn and grown and to give it my best. Before every game, my mother would text me."

It wasn't just Robert's mother who was texting her during games – it was also her teammates at Binghamton, which had quickly become a second family to her. Those messages were especially poignant after Roberts made a memorable play.

"We have this time at practice called PFP – which stands for Pitching Fielding Practice," she said. "One of the plays we practice is a glove flip play, which involves fielding the ball close to home plate and flipping the glove in one motion to get a runner out at home. I was pitching in relief against Brazil and was able to get a batter out using that play. After the game, my coaches and teammates at Binghamton were texting me about it. Some of them even texted 'PFP.' They were very excited."

Roberts wasn't just responding to text messages after the games. She was keeping up with her schoolwork. She had done a lot of work on the plane ride down to Guatemala but she still had to stay on top of things.

"I had done a lot of work on the trip down," she said. "But it was still hard be motivated at first with everything going on. I was eventually able to do a lot of work in the hotel room and was able to stay caught up."

Looking Ahead

At the end of the fall semester, Roberts finally got time off – from academics and from softball at both the collegiate and international levels. As she begins her first spring season, she knows she has changed for the better in so many ways. Still, she continues to want to improve.

"I am not the same person I was back in August," she said. "I have a different level of confidence and I am sure I can do things I didn't think I could four months ago."

Roberts won't have to look far to find support this spring. Her brother is a computer engineering major and her Monroe-Woodbury teammate Emma Lawson – who plays catcher - is also a freshman at Binghamton.

"Emma and I have known each other since were eight," she said. "We played together from little league through high school. She was so excited when I told her I was coming to Binghamton."

As for Roberts' mom, she is taking on a new role this spring. Instead of being in the dugout coaching Brianna, Penny will be in the stands as a softball mom.

"She is so excited to put her mom hat on and watch me play," Roberts said. "She says it will be great to have her full attention on cheering for me instead of making pitch calls. She is looking forward to enjoying the games instead of being stressed."