USI Softball adds Rivera to coaching staff

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball Head Coach Sue Kunkle announced the hiring of Alyssa Rivera as an assistant coach ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

Rivera, a former softball student-athlete at Auburn University, has coached three seasons at Hampton University in addition to playing professionally and internationally.

“We have been excited to add another full-time assistant to our staff and are confident we found the perfect fit in Coach Rivera,” Kunkle said. “Coach Rivera has a lot of experience and knowledge when it comes to the game. She has played and coached at the Division I level and continues to master her craft in the professional and international world.”

Before arriving at USI, Rivera was an assistant coach at Hampton for the last three seasons, assisting with outfield training, baserunning, and hitting. Rivera also oversaw all team operations including travel and budgeting.

Rivera’s professional playing career features experience with the Texas Smoke of Women’s Professional Fastpitch, winning the first-ever WPF championship in 2023, and with Cidra Bravas in Puerto Rico from 2019 to the present day. 2022 Cidra Bravas was crowned the 2022 Liga de Softball Superior Nacional Femenino champions.

Rivera also has national team playing experience, starting in 2017 as a Gold Medalist at the World Championship with the USA Junior Women’s National Team. Rivera has also played for the Puerto Rico Women’s National Team since 2019. She is a 2019 Bronze Medalist (Pan American Games), a 2023 Silver Medalist (Pan American Games), and a 2023 Gold Medalist (Central American Games) with the Puerto Rico National Team. Rivera was named to WBSC America’s All-Pan Am Team at the Pan American Games in the fall of 2023.

Rivera played for Auburn University from 2016-2021. While at Auburn, she became one of the most decorated hitters in program history. She is one of just six student-athletes in program history to record at least 200 career hits, 120 RBI, and 110 runs scored. She was tabbed by Softball America as one of the Top 100 Players of 2020, while also appearing in Softball America’s 2020 Power Rankings at no. 2 and no. 10, respectively.  Rivera ranks top 10 in Auburn’s record books in eight different categories, including stolen bases (t-3^rd), stolen base percentage (t-7^th), multi-RBI games (8^th), games played (t-8^th), RBI (9^th), total bases (9^th), multi-hit games (t-9^th), and hits (10^th).

Academically, Rivera made Auburn University’s Dean’s List, All-SEC Academic Team, SEC Academic Honor Roll, and was named an NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete.

Rivera was also a lead instructor and coach with private lessons and camps with ProSwings LLC in the past.

“Coach Rivera is extremely passionate, goal-driven, and very high energy, so we are excited to have her a part of our family and ready to get to work!” Kunkle added.