LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Olivia Pifer is officially a multi-sport athlete at Bellarmine University, as the Louisville native has joined the women's basketball team after competing in the fall as a freshman on the field hockey team.

A standout in both sports at Mercy Academy in Louisville as recently as last school year, Pifer was aware of the women's basketball team's extreme situation in regard to injuries ravaging this season's roster and intrigued by the possibility of returning to the hardwood.

Buoyed by the encouragement and support she received from her former coaches at Mercy Academy, Pifer decided to pursue the opportunity to become a member of Bellarmine basketball and quickly made an impression on head coach Monique Reid.

"Olivia brings the grit and hard-nosed mentality this team needs," Reid said. "She hit her first shot in practice and I said, 'I've seen enough.' "

"When the opportunity to be a two-sport athlete was on the table, I honestly thought: 'Why not?' I know the demands are high, but I remind myself every day that I'm capable of succeeding and taking on difficult challenges," Pifer said. "I'm grateful to the coaching staffs and the amazing professors at Bellarmine who are patient, supportive and willing to work with me. Their understanding makes it possible for me to pursue both at a high level."

In basketball, Pifer was a team captain and All-Region recipient at Mercy Academy. The 5-foot-4 guard helped lead the team to the Kentucky state tournament in 2023 and 2025 after capturing district and regional championships both seasons. She played club ball for Kentucky Premier Basketball.

"(At Mercy), I saw myself as someone who could lead through communication, effort and consistency — both on the court and within the school community through different leadership roles," Pifer said. "At Bellarmine, I want to bring that same approach: energy on the defensive end, a willingness to move and share the ball, a positive mindset and a strong work ethic with daily discipline. My goal is to do whatever the team needs, embrace my role and add value in any way I can."

Even though her competitive basketball career had seemingly ended after high school, Pifer never really left the gym. She has two sisters — Stella, a freshman at Mercy Academy, and Georgia, a seventh grader at St. Martha Catholic School — who play basketball and continued to shoot, train and compete with them.

"Because of that, returning to the court wasn't too difficult, though there was some rust to shake off," Pifer said. "Now, I'm adjusting to the Division-I level by learning the system, building chemistry with my teammates and getting comfortable with the speed and physicality of the game. My focus is on controlling what I can each day and continuing to improve.

"I'm extremely excited to join the team. My first impressions of both my teammates and the staff have been very positive. They welcomed me right away and made me feel comfortable from day one. The energy within the group is great, and I'm looking forward to contributing to it and growing with them throughout the season." 

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