2025 • SENIOR SEASON
Awards: Was one of four student-athletes on the Nittany Lion roster to garner Second Team All-Big Ten Conference distinction, as well as NFCA All-Northeast Region honors, landing Third Team laurels from that organization… In recognition of her stellar efforts in the classroom, was named both an Academic All-Big Ten Team member and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in the postseason.
Season: Published a dominant final season of collegiate action, becoming one of just three student-athletes on PSU’s roster to appear and start in all 52 contests… Ranked inside the top four on the Nittany Lion roster in terms of both batting average and OPS, hitting to the tune of a .345 mark in the former while turning in a 1.049 tally in the latter… Led the Nittany Lions in at-bats with 171, mustering 59 hits in those opportunities to rank second on the squad… Smacked 27 extra-base hits in 2025, including 13 doubles, a triple and 13 home runs… Her 13 homers rank tied for fourth all-time at PSU for home runs in a single season while sitting tied atop the team leaderboard for the year… Logged the second-most RBI in a single season in school history with 49… Was a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen base opportunities… Mustered a strong defensive season in the outfield, logging a .985 fielding percentage to rank second on the roster among non-catchers, finishing with 60 total putouts and five assists.
Rankings: Placed 15th in the Big Ten Conference in RBI per game with 0.94… Finished 17th in the conference in terms of home runs per game with 0.25… Ranked 18th in the B1G in home runs (13), and RBI (49)… Was 20th in the Big Ten with 113 total bases and 24th in the league with a slugging percentage of .661.
vs. Texas Tech (2/7): Booked an impressive opening night performance against the Red Raiders, finishing 2-for-3 with a walk, RBI and pair of runs scored while logging a career-best pair of stolen bases. vs. Loyola Chicago (2/15): Published her second multi-hit game of the campaign, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored, three RBI and two extra-base hits in the form of a double and her first homer of the year. vs. Robert Morris (2/28): Helped PSU to a historic offensive showing thanks to a 2-for-3 day at the dish that included a pair of doubles, three RBI and a stolen base. Canisius (3/7): Matched a season high in hits with three, finishing 3-for-4 with a trio of runs, two RBI and a homer. vs. Northwestern (3/13): Had a dominant day against the Wildcats individually, going 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBI and a home run at the home site of the Women’s College World Series. at Indiana (3/21): Lifted the Blue & White to a marathon win over the Hoosiers, finishing 3-for-5 with two runs, an RBI and a double. Bucknell (4/1): Had her first triple of the year and added a home run, finishing the day 2-for-3 with two runs scored. at Maryland (4/26): Recorded her sixth three-hit effort of her senior season, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and season-best quintet of RBI.
2024 • JUNIOR SEASON
Season: In her first season with the Blue & White, was one of four student-athletes to appear and start in all 55 contests split between outfield and designated player responsibilities… Finished third on the roster with 14 doubles, adding a triple and six home runs to round out her 21 extra-base hits… Recorded single-season career bests in appearances, at-bats (166), runs scored (26), hits (41), total bases (75), doubles, homers, RBI (34) and walks drawn (17)… Hit at a .247 clip with a .321 on-base percentage and a .452 slugging percentage… Finished the season with a .962 fielding percentage highlighted by 48 putouts.
Rankings: Finished seventh in the Big Ten Conference among qualified hitters with 14 doubles.
vs. Arkansas (2/10): Impressed in her first opportunity against a nationally ranked foe, going 2-for-3 with an RBI in the eventual 3-2 extra-inning Nittany Lion win… Recorded a season-high quintet of assists against the Razorbacks. vs. Ohio (2/11): Hit the first home run of her Nittany Lion career, a two-run shot over the scoreboard in right field. vs. Penn (2/25): Had one of the most impressive individual outings in PSU history, notching four hits in five at-bats with a pair of runs scored, two doubles and a home run… Logged the third-most RBI in a single game in Penn State history, batting in six against the Quakers. vs. Northwestern State (3/3): Was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and a home run against the Demons, adding a double in the process. Lehigh (3/14): Booked the first triple of her collegiate softball career, finishing the game 1-for-3 with a pair of runs scored. Cornell (3/15): Scored a season-high trio of runs in the 10-1 five-inning win over Cornell. Binghamton (3/17): Notched her second four-hit game of the season, going 4-for-4 with two runs scored, five RBI and a homer. Indiana (3/23): Cranked a two-run home run and finished 1-for-3 against the Hoosiers. at Wisconsin (4/21): Tallied a pair of hits including a double and home run, finishing with two RBI in the 10-2 victory on the road.
BEFORE PENN STATE
Arrived in Happy Valley following a two-year stint with the in-state rival Pittsburgh Panthers… Produced a 2023 campaign that saw her emerge as the team's primary right fielder, appearing in 42 contests with 36 starts… Her sophomore season saw her clock a .294 average at the plate and log an OPS of .871, the fourth-highest mark on the team among routine starters… Cranked five home runs and 13 doubles over the course of her Panther career, establishing herself as one of the roster's premier hitters while simultaneously cultivating a career .984 fielding percentage at multiple defensive positions.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Mount Pleasant Area High School… Batted .500 with seven doubles, four triples, four homers and 38 RBI her freshman season… Recorded a .368 batting average with four home runs, 15 RBI, in addition to six doubles and triples her sophomore year… Helped lead Mount Pleasant to a State Championship victory her senior year, batting .560 with 41 RBI, 22 doubles, three triples, six homers and 29 runs…Totaled a 1.668 OPS and 1.107 slugging percentage… Received multiple accolades including 4A First Team All-State laurels as a freshman and earned Cover 3 Athletics First Team All-Section and Tribune Review Terrific 10 All-County First Team honors in her freshman and sophomore year… Named team captain senior year... Named to the PGF Regional All-America Northeast Team, collected the Westmoreland County Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, Westmoreland County All-Class Softball Player of the Year award, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 3A Player of the Year honor, Cover 3 Athletics Player of the Year award, Tribune Review 3A Player of the Year award, picked up a Tribune HSSN WPIAL All-Star selection, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette All-Area Team appearance, Cover 3 Athletics 3A First Team All-Star award, First Team All-State and First Team All-Section appearance in her senior season… In addition to softball, Brunson earned a trio of varsity letters in girls’ basketball and was named the team’s captain in her junior and senior seasons... She also earned two varsity letters in tennis... Played for the Beverly Bandits for her club commitments under the direction of coach Bill Conroy… Helped the Bandits win the Demarini Invitational… Led the organization to a fifth-place finish at PGF Nationals in 2021... Ranked 59th in the nation as a recruit by Extra Innings Softball.
PERSONAL
Born in 2003 in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, Haylie Brunson is the eldest daughter of Chris and Heather Brunson... She has two younger sisters named Krista and Kendra... Her father, Chris, played collegiate baseball at Westmoreland County Community College and at the California University of Pennsylvania... Her sister, Krista, is currently a sophomore on the softball team at Pitt-Johnstown... Her grandfather, Paul Hill, her mother, Heather, and her cousin, Garrett Hill, each earned their undergraduate degrees at Penn State... At Mount Pleasant High School, Brunson was an active member of the school’s National Honor Society Chapter... She graduated high school with high honors, logging a 4.0 GPA throughout... Brunson is currently majoring in Labor and Human Resources in the Penn State College of Liberal Arts and expects to graduate in the spring of 2025... She currently participates in Penn State Christian Athletes (PSCA) and is a member of the PSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC)... After the end of her playing career, Brunson hopes to begin a full-time career in collegiate coaching... In her spare time, she loves to sing, previously singing the National Anthem at multiple events earlier in her life... She continues to be an avid singer, participating in music at her church.