2026 • FRESHMAN SEASON
Awards: Published a breakout rookie season with the Blue & White, earning Second Team All-Big Ten Conference honors in her inaugural run in Happy Valley... Landed a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman team alongside rookie teammate Allison Oneacre… Was one of four NFCA All-Northeast Region honorees on the 2026 PSU roster, garnering Second Team distinction alongside Oneacre… Picked up the penultimate Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor in the 2026 campaign following an eye-popping week of work against Saint Francis and Illinois on April 28… Named a B1G Freshman Watch List member by Softball America in the preseason.
Season: Appeared in 50 contests while earning 50 starts during an impressive freshman campaign in the Penn State outfield… Finished the season with a .367 batting average after collecting 54 hits in 147 at-bats, tying for the team lead in batting average and ranking among the top offensive performers on the roster… Added 10 doubles, one triple and 12 home runs while driving in 41 runs and scoring 42 times… Posted a .694 slugging percentage and .453 on-base percentage while drawing 22 walks and swiping 17 bases, the most stolen bases on the team… Registered 16 multiple-hit games and 10 multiple-RBI performances during her debut season… Emerged as one of the Nittany Lions’ most dynamic all-around contributors, combining power, speed and run production while helping power a Penn State offense that ranked among the nation’s best in multiple categories… Finished the year with 94 putouts and just one error defensively.
Rankings: Ranked sixth in the Big Ten with 17 stolen bases, while placing fifth in the conference with 0.34 stolen bases per game… Ranked 34th in the Big Ten with 12 home runs… Finished 31st in the conference with a .694 slugging percentage.
vs. Auburn (2/8): Recorded her first collegiate multi-hit performance, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and two stolen bases. vs. Charleston Southern (2/20): Contributed two hits, two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base in a balanced offensive effort. vs. Radford (3/6): Delivered a breakout performance, finishing 2-for-2 with a triple, four RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base. vs. Boston College (3/6): Stayed hot at the plate with a two-hit effort that included a home run and two RBI. Wisconsin (3/21): Authored one of the top games of her freshman season, going 3-for-3 with two home runs, three RBI and four runs scored. Maryland (4/3): Powered the Nittany Lion offense with two home runs and five RBI while scoring twice. Bucknell (4/14): Turned in another standout performance, finishing 2-for-3 with a double, home run, four RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base. at Illinois (4/24): Connected on a home run while driving in two runs and adding a stolen base. at Illinois (4/25): Followed up with another home run and two RBI in conference action. at Illinois (4/26): Collected three hits, including a double and home run, while driving in three runs and scoring twice. Nebraska (5/3): Added a two-hit effort that featured a home run, RBI and stolen base. B1G Tournament First Round vs. Northwestern (5/6): Came through in postseason play with a 3-for-5 performance that included a home run, three RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base.
HIGH SCHOOL
A highlight-reel outfielder from the state of Illinois, Breanna Hanik began her collegiate softball career at Penn State rated as the nation’s No. 65 overall player in addition to earning the No. 22 ranking among 2025 outfield prospects… Hailing from Oak Lawn, Illinois, Hanik played high school softball at Marist High School, leading her squad to the state championship game in three of her four varsity seasons... Hanik was named an All-Conference choice in both 2023 and 2024 and had a breakout junior season that included All-State, All-Area and Golden Glove accolades in addition to setting a single-season doubles record with 19… Hanik was a dual-sport athlete at Marist, also contributing on the school’s basketball team during her high school athletic career… Hanik played travel ball as a part of the powerful Beverly Bandits organization and was named to the All-American watch list in back-to-back years with All-America regional finalist distinction coming following the 2024 campaign.
PERSONAL
Born in the fall of 2006, Breanna Hanik is the only daughter and youngest child of Jennifer and Brian Hanik… She has two older brothers named Brian Jr. and Brandon… Her older brother, Brandon, was a collegiate athlete at Carthage College, earning four varsity letters in baseball at that institution… While in High School at Marist, Hanik was a Dean’s List member for all four years of her academic career, also spending time as a member of the Science Club, RedHawk Leadership Development Program as well as serving as a student ambassador… As a student at Penn State, Hanik majors in kinesiology with a long-term career aspiration of becoming a physical therapist following her graduation from PSU in the spring of 2029… In her free time, Hanik enjoys working out, baking, teaching softball lessons to the next generation, working camps, and hanging out with family and friends.