Leah O’Brien-Amico is in her first season as the USSSA Pride’s Assistant Coach. This is the coaching debut for O’Brien-Amico, as well as the NPF debut for the three-time Olympic Gold Medalist. O’Brien-Amico currently speaks and conducts coaches and player clinics across the nation, works in the ministry, and occasionally offers color commentary for ESPN.
Amico is in familiar territory with the roster of the Pride team, having competed with many of the current Pride players either through the many years as a Team USA player herself, or as a college player at the University of Arizona. Working as an ESPN Analyst has also familiarized Amico with the rest of the squad.
In the 2004 Olympic Games in Sydney, O’Brien-Amico racked up her third gold medal. She twice had a tournament-best 2 RBIs; once in a game played against Australia, and again in a game against Greece. In the Gold Medal game, O’Brien-Amico had a single, and the US defeated Australia 5-1. Overall, O’Brien-Amico averaged .338 in 175 at-bats, scored 54 runs, batted 50 runs in, hit 5 homeruns, achieved a .453 slugging percentage, and walked 23 times in 2004.
In the 2000 games in Athens, O’Brien-Amico batted for a .226 average in 31 at-bats, had 2 RBI, had a .226 slugging percentage, and collected 3 walks. O’Brien-Amico competed and won gold in three consecutive Olympic Games in 1996, 2000, and 2004. In the 1996 games in Atlanta, O’Brien-Amico batted for a .300 average in ten at-bats, had a .300 slugging percentage, and collected 2 walks.
In 2002, O’Brien-Amico was inducted into the University of Arizona Hall of Fame in recognition of her athletic achievements at the school from 1993 to 1997. O’Brien-Amico led Arizona to 3 NCAA National Championships during her college career and set the Women’s College World Series Record for batting average in a single tournament, hitting .750 (9 for 12) in 1994.
O’Brien-Amico was also named to the 2006 NCAA Division I Softball 25th Anniversary Team during her University of Arizona stay. A three-time First-Team NFCA All-American and three-time First-Team Academic All-American, O’Brien-Amico was honored as the NCAA Woman of the Year for the state of Arizona in 1997.
O’Brien-Amico rounded out her University of Arizona career with per-season averages of .428 batting, 338 hits, 53 doubles, 5 triples, 7 homeruns, and 181 RBI.
As a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, two-time world champion, and two-time Pan-American Games champion, O’Brien-Amico brings her bounty of experience and her wealth of softball knowledge to the USSSA Pride’s leadership team.
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