PRINCETON — Olivia Hutcherson couldn’t quite believe her luck. It was the opening game of the season for the Princeton women’s basketball team and a homecoming for Hutcherson in Atlanta, but she was on the sideline in pain after catching an inadvertent elbow to face. “I broke my nose,” Hut cherson exclaimed. Who knew at the time that may have been the best thing to happen to the six-foot junior forward from Johns Creek, Ga. Hutcherson came back into that game wearing a facemask and went on to score 15 points in an opening-day victory. Ever since, she’s donned a black mask and given the 25th-ranked Tigers a fifth starter averaging in double figures. “Everybody tells me I should keep wearing it,” Hutcherson said. “To protect the nose, but also it looks cool and it’s kind of intimidating.” They say that for good reason. Hutcherson is averaging 11.3 points and 5.8 rebounds in 27.5 minutes per game. That gives Princeton a starting five that ranks top five nationally in the country in scoring output at 66.5 points. “She’s been amazing,” junior guard Skye Belker said. “She brings a lot of intensity. You can really feel her presence on the court just as a teammate. She brings a lot of the intangibles and energy.” Intangibles like earning the Tigers an extra possession with an offensive rebound (she leads the team in that category), running the floor in transition or taking a charge on defense. “A lot of my offense comes from offensive rebounds and then being in the right spot for my teammates,” Hutcherson said. “They are finding me on post ups if I have a smaller guard or on those dump down passes. I feel like I’m a lot more confident this year in myself, so that’s helping me feel good when I shoot the ball. Seeing it go in definitely helps me keep shooting. “That’s something that I pride myself on, trying to bring energy, especially on the defensive end. If that is what the glue is for the team then I love doing it and helping us out wherever we need it.” Princeton’s Olivia Hutcherson, 2, reacts to a made basket with teammates Fadima Tall, left, and Ashley Chea, right, against Temple during an NCAA women’s basketball game on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025 at Jadwin Gymnasium in Princeton. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) She has already set new career highs in every category this season, including a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double in a win over Belmont. “She’s just playing with a lot more confidence than she did last year,” coach Carla Berube said. “…She’s different than the other players we have on the court with the things she brings with the offensive rebounding, the way she can defend, the way she can run the floor, the way she can finish. It’s great to have her playing at this level.” Playing like a … superhero? Junior forward Fadima Tall suggested calling her ‘The Liv.’ Berube compared her to a former UConn classmate of hers in Richard Hamilton, the three-time NBA All Star who was famous for wearing the mask. “This is so funny,” Hutcherson said. “I don’t know if I have a superhero name. My handshake with Grace (O’Sullivan) is to pull the mask down and we’re locked into the game.” Hutcherson has been cleared to play without the mask once Ivy Play begins in January. “I’m kind of excited to be able to take it off just because I’m used to playing without it,” she said, “but now I’m fine with it on.” But her teammates might convince her otherwise. “I think mask on,” Belker said. “I think it’s working for her and I think it looks really good.” ...read more read less