PROVO, Utah — BYU head coach Gordon Eakin announced the hiring of Amanda “AJ” Tauali’i as an assistant coach on his staff Tuesday.
A native of Torrance, California, Tauali’i played first base for the University of Hawai’i from 2007-10 and captained the team to a Women’s College World Series appearance as a senior. She hit 18 of the team’s 158 home runs in 2010, a national record, and finished the season with a .298 batting average. Tauali’i also received All-Western Athletic Conference First and Second Team honors in 2009 and 2010, respectively.
Prior to BYU, she was the hitting coach at the Girls of Garciaparra Baseball Group Training Academy in Southern California and has coached private lessons for 10 years. Her younger sister, Coco Tauali’i Bond, played for the Cougars from 2013-16.
“We are extremely excited to have Amanda join our coaching staff. She was a high-level Division I player leading her University of Hawaii team to the Women's College World Series,” Eakin said. “She served as team captain that season and understands what it takes to train and play at the highest level.”
Eakins feels Tauali’i will be a good fit for the program.
“She understands BYU's culture having served an LDS mission in Eugene, Oregon,” Eakin said. “She will play an integral role with her softball knowledge, dedication to the game and her outstanding communication skills.”
BYU is coming off one of its most successful seasons in program history after earning its ninth-straight conference title and advancing to NCAA Regionals for the 13th year in a row. The Cougars also tied the program record for wins and losses with a 46-13 record and were undefeated at Miller Park for just the second time with a 16-0 mark.