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Big Ten Conference

2024 Softball Roster

Brooke Sutton
Brooke Sutton
Ariel Fox
Ariel Fox
Ethan Mito
(Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics)

11 Leilani Chavez

  • Class Senior
  • Position OF
  • Bat/Throw L/R
  • Hometown Covina, Calif.
  • Highschool Charter Oak High School
  • Major Public Health

Biography

Senior (2024) - Game-By-Game Stats
  • Went 3-for-3 at the plate with a run in a 9-4 win at Michigan State for the most Big Ten wins in program history (Apr. 27)
  • Scored one of three runs in the top of the seventh in a 3-0 win at Michigan State for the first back-to-back 30-win seasons in RU history (Apr. 26)
  • Had an RBI single in the 3-0 series-opening win at Minnesota (Apr. 19) 
  • Captured two runs in a 10-2 run-rule win at LIU (Apr. 16)
  • Hit  2-for-3 with a run scored in a 13-5 game two setback against Nebraska (Apr. 13)
  • Scored a run in 5-3 win at San Diego in the series finale (Mar. 16)
  • Registered an RBI in a 5-0 shutout at Cal Baptist (Mar. 13)
  • Added an RBI hit in a 4-0 shutout win over host UNC at the Mizuno Invitational (Mar. 2)
  • Went 2-for-2 with a run scored in a 7-2 victory over Lafayette to open the Mizuno Invitational (Mar. 1)
  • Scored the lone run in a loss to BYU on the final day of the Mary Nutter (Feb. 24)
  • Hit 2-for-3 with an RBI in a 7-5 win over UC Riverside on opening day of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic (Feb. 22)
Junior (2023) - Game-By-Game Stats
  • Scored the game-winning run after Rutgers entered the bottom of the seventh down 3-0 facing a no-hitter to storm back for a 4-3 victory over Maryland giving head coach Kristen Butler her 100th victory at Rutgers (Apr. 5)
  • Was one of seven different Scarlet Knights led RU to eight hits going 2-for-3 with an RBI in a 6-3 win over Mercer at the Buby Invitational (Mar. 10)
  • Posted a run and an RBI in an 8-5 win over Seattle at the NorCal Kickoff (Feb. 11)
  • Collected a triple and run scored in a 5-1 win at UC Davis at the NorCal Kickoff (Feb. 11)
Sophomore (2022) - Game-By-Game Stats
  • Appeared in 31 games playing in the outfield or at designated player
  • Went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a stolen base in a 13-3 victory over Wagner in the opening game of the Pirate Clash (Feb. 18)
  • Finished the Pirate Clash with five hits in 10 at-bats (Feb. 18-20)
  • Hit 2-for-3 in a 5-2 win over St. Peter's at the Rutgers Tournament (Mar. 18)
  • Connected for a hit in her lone plate appearance as a pinch hitter in a 8-0 run-rule victory over Fairfield at the Rutgers Tournament (Mar. 18) Added a hit and a run in a 8-0 victory against Holy Cross at the Rutgers Tournament (Mar. 19)
  • Posted an RBI at Indiana (Apr. 8)
  • Went 1-for-2 with a run scored in opening game of double-header with Maryland (Apr. 19)
  • Collected a hit in her lone plate appearance against Purdue (Apr. 29)
Freshman (2021) - Game-By-Game Stats
  • Appeared in 30 games with 21 starts in the outfield
  • Collected 12 hits, including two doubles and a team-leading two triples, along with three RBIs and three runs
  • Scored two runs against Indiana (Mar. 13)
  • Led RU batting 3-for-7 with two doubles and a triple in the Wisconsin series

Prior to Rutgers:
  • San Gabriel Valley Tribune Second Team All-Area as a junior in 2019
  • First Team All-League
  • Helped Charter Oak High School to the CIF playoffs, including a quarterfinal appearance as a freshman
  • Also played with the California Cruisers 

Personal: 
  • Daughter of Tami and Juan
  • Sister, Kalie, played softball at Biola University and sister, Marissa, is a shortstop at BYU
  • Looking to major in public health.

Chavez on Choosing Rutgers:  "I chose Rutgers because of its academics, great softball program and I love the coaching staff."

Coach Butler on Leilani Chavez: "We have been watching Lei for a long time and have seen her grow into a great softball player. She has a ton of speed that will add diversity to our lineup and her defense is stellar."

KNOW YOUR KNIGHTS
Nickname: Lei
One word to describe Coach Butler: dependable
Favorite Rutgers athlete, past or present: Carla Camino
Major: Public Health
I chose my major because: I would like to become a nurse.
Favorite place to hang out on campus: Softball Field
The person I most admire is and why: My sisters because they have been a role model to me.
If I wasn’t playing softball, I’d be: doing arts and crafts.
Favorite professional athlete: Mike Trout
Favorite professional sports team: Angels
One word to describe myself on the field: fast
One word to describe myself off the field: understanding Few people know that I::played basketball.
Person who had greatest influence on my athletics career: My dad
I started playing my sport because…: growing up watching my sisters play softball made me realize that I'd want to be a good softball player like them.
I chose Rutgers because…: I liked the atmosphere of the school when I came on my visit
Favorite cereal: Frosty Flakes
The movie I have watched the most in my lifetime is: League of Their Own
The best actor/actress to play me in a movie is…: Sandra Oh
Favorite musician/group: Dan&Shay
The first song I knew all the words to is: Meet Me Halfway- Black Eye Peas
If I could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, I would win a gold medal at: watching tv.
Rituals I have before, during or after a game are: listening to music
Favorite all-time gift received: Phone
Pets I had growing up were: two dogs
My favorite Halloween costume growing up was: Green M&M
The place in the world I would most like to visit is: Paris
The website I visit most often is: Netflix
My favorite teacher was: Randall Thatcher was my 12th grade English teacher.
The quote that most resonates with me is: "believe in yourself before believing in others"
If my life was a book, the title would be: blunt & beautiful I
f I could choose any color when buying a new car it would be: gray
My spirit animal is: cheetah
One thing on my bucket list is: Is to travel to most countries
Phone app you cannot live without: snapchat

Statistics

Season:
2024

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 11

    2021Freshman

    OF
    5'3"
    11
  • 11

    2022Sophomore

    OF
    5'3"
    11
  • 11

    2023Junior

    OF
    5'3"
    11
  • 11

    2024Senior

    OF
    5'3"
    11
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