Eri Yamada

Eri Yamada is a decorated Olympic medalist in softball, having secured two gold medals and one bronze across three Olympic Games. After securing a bronze medal at the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics, Eri Yamada went on to establish an illustrious 20-year professional softball career. Yamada dedicated 18 of those years to the Japanese side Hitachi Sundiva, while also bringing her formidable skills to the United States, playing for the Chicago Bandits and the Dallas Charge in the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league. Her international prowess continued to shine brightly, culminating in a gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics, where she contributed significantly with a .344 batting average and a solo home run off renowned pitcher Cat Osterman in the gold medal game.

Building on 24 years of combined experience as a player and coach, Yamada will take on a pivotal new role in September 2025 as the Director of Player Development for the Ole Miss softball program. This position underscores her invaluable expertise and commitment to fostering talent at the collegiate level, further cementing her legacy in professional softball.