Two freshmen, shortstop Hannah Olson and center fielder Kara Shutt, have had to adapt pretty quickly in their first year as members of Elon University’s softball team.

Both play positions that require a great deal of leadership.

“They’re not freshmen,” said Elon softball head coach Kathy Bocock. “They don’t have an opportunity to be that and they understand that.”

Olson hails from Yorktown, Virginia, where she attended Grafton High School. Her high school accolades include being named the “No. 3 Female Athlete to Watch” by the Daily Press in 2013. Olson’s high school performance earned her All-District, Region and State Player of the Year awards.

In her short time at Elon, Olson has had to step up as a leader on the field.

“She has quick hands and quick feet, and if she keeps playing the way she has been, I think our middle [infield] is going to be great,” Shutt said.

Shutt, a Greensboro native, also had an impressive resume coming out of high school. As she earned All-Conference, Area, District, State and Conference Player of the Year awards from the Greensboro News & Record.

“Her skills in the outfield are undeniable,” Olson said. “She can read balls off the bat like I’ve never seen before, and she doesn’t try to do too much when she’s hitting.”

In their first live action, Shutt and Olson both stepped up to the plate. Olson’s intelligent baserunning and Shutt’s clutch hitting were vital to the team’s three wins during opening weekend.

Olson had a batting average of .500 for the weekend and an on-base percentage of .615. Her aggressive baserunning accounted for six of Elon’s 16 runs for the entire weekend and also added three stolen bases. Shutt was an offensive force for the Phoenix and had an extra inning walk-off single in the team’s first game against Radford University. She hit .444, tallying three doubles and three runs batted in.

“They came in with a great attitude and confidence,” said senior infielder Aly Quintana. “They know how to play the game and that alone is huge for us as a team.”

What they lack in experience, they make up for in smarts.

“They have a knowledge of the game, they’re confident, they’re gritty and they’ll get after it,” Bocock said.

On a team where 10 of the 18 players are of sophomore or freshman standing, some younger players must step up and take control on the field. Olson and Shutt have led by example.

“I’m working on hitting with [assistant] coach [Tyler] Engle, and I just want to bring my speed to the outfield,” Shutt said.

If Olson and Shutt continue to play in the same form as their first few games it proves beneficial for Elon’s season outlook. While it is still early in the season, Bocock believes the team can rally off of the energy Olson and Shutt bring.

“They’re quiet, but there’s never a time they don’t hustle, and the girls see that,” Bocock said. “And how could you not follow people like that?”