Position:
Assistant Coach
Experience:
Second Season
Alma Mater:
UCLA '05
Former UCLA Bruin Claire Sua-Amundson enters her second season as an assistant coach with the Stanford softball staff in 2012.
In her first season with the Cardinal, Sua-Amundson helped guide the team to a 42-17 overall record and a No. 10 final ranking. Stanford made its 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and advanced to the Alabama Super Regional. The Cardinal also finished fifth (10-11 Pac-10) in the nation's toughest conference. Under Sua-Amundson's guidance, junior Ashley Hansen was tabbed the USA Softball National Player of the Year and earned NFCA First Team All-America honors. She was joined on the NFCA All-West Region First Team by Teagan Gerhart, Sarah Hassman and Jenna Rich.
Sua-Amundson comes to The Farm from Cal Poly, where she spent five seasons as an assistant coach with the Mustangs. During her time at Cal Poly, the Mustangs registered a 154-98 (.611) record and twice captured the Big West Conference title (2007 and 2009) to earn the automatic berth to the postseason in those years.
"We are very excited to have Claire in our program," said Rittman. "Claire brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our coaching staff. Anytime you have the success that she's had as both a player and an assistant coach, you know your program is going to reap the benefits."
One of the top hitters in UCLA and Pac-10 Conference history, Sua-Amundson's name dots the Bruin record book. A .325 career hitter who started all 240 games she appeared in at first base, Sua-Amundson enjoyed her top season as a Bruin in 2003, belting 17 homers and collecting 51 RBI in earning NFCA All-America, NFCA All-Pacific Region and All-Pac-10 first teams honors. The following season, Sua-Amundson was selected to the all-region and All-Pac-10 second teams after batting .297 with 10 homers.
Sua-Amundson enjoyed an immediate impact upon the UCLA program, recording 56 RBI during her 2001 freshman campaign to merit All-Pac-10 second team honors. She upped the total to 58 as a sophomore in 2002 to repeat as an All-Pac-10 pick and added both third team All-America and all-region honors to her resume.
During Sua-Amundson's tenure, UCLA captured Women's College World Series titles in 2003 and 2004. Her fifth-inning solo home run against California in the 2004 championship game broke up a no-hitter and helped propel UCLA to a 3-1 victory. Sua-Amundson was named to the 2001 WCWS All-Tournament Team after hitting .333 with six RBI during the competition.
UCLA appeared in the WCWS during each of Sua-Amundson's four seasons. Sua-Amundson graduated from UCLA in 2005 with a degree in history and served as an assistant coach during the same season.
She and her husband, Matt, reside in Santa Clara.
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