Eri Yamada

Eri Yamada, born on March 8, 1984, in Fujisawa, Japan, is a former professional softball player known for her extensive career and Olympic achievements. Her journey in professional softball spanned 20 years, dedicating 18 of those years to the Japanese side Hitachi Sundiva. Yamada also brought her skills to the United States, playing for the Chicago Bandits and the Dallas Charge in the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league. She concluded her distinguished playing career with two seasons at Denso Bright Pegasus.

Yamada’s international career is marked by substantial success, representing Japan in three Olympic Games. She earned a bronze medal at the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics, followed by gold medals at the Beijing 2008 and Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. In the 2008 Beijing gold medal game, she contributed significantly, batting .344 in the tournament and hitting a solo home run off Cat Osterman. Beyond the Olympics, Yamada accumulated 13 medals across the Olympic Games, Women’s Softball World Cup, and the Women’s Softball Asian Cup, including one gold medal in the World Championship and four Asian Championship titles.

Following her retirement as a player, Yamada transitioned into coaching and player development. She served as an assistant coach for the Japanese national softball team and at Tsukuba University. In September 2025, she was appointed as the Director of Player Development for the Ole Miss softball program, leveraging her 24 years of experience as both a player and coach to guide aspiring athletes. In August 2020, Yamada received the World Games athlete of the month award in recognition of her contributions to the sport.