Shay Fuimaono completed her first season as an assistant coach with the Chico State softball program in 2026.
In her first year on head coach Angel Shamblin’s staff, Fuimaono helped guide the Wildcats to a 19-25 overall record and a 13-19 mark in California Collegiate Athletic Association play. Chico State finished sixth in the nine-team CCAA, narrowly missing a conference tournament berth, and closed the season with a series win over nationally ranked Cal State East Bay.
Four Wildcats earned All-CCAA honors during Fuimaono’s first season in Chico. Amelie Valdez and Brianna Swihart were named Second Team All-CCAA, while Kennedy Gustin and Bella Tavares received honorable mention. Valdez also earned CCAA Pitcher of the Week honors during the season.
Fuimaono came to Chico State following a four-year playing career at Cal State Bakersfield, where she appeared in 170 games and made 147 starts for the Roadrunners. As a senior in 2025, she batted .291 with 30 hits, five doubles, two home runs, 14 walks, and only seven strikeouts, ranking fifth on the team in batting average. She also delivered a walk-off single in a nine-inning win over UC San Diego and went 2-for-3 with a home run and five RBI against Western Illinois at the Hawai‘i Spring Fling Tournament. Over her CSUB career, Fuimaono totaled 72 hits, 37 RBI, 18 doubles, five home runs, and seven stolen bases, while seeing time at third base, first base, and designated player. One of the signature moments of her freshman season came when she made a diving grab at third base during a series against UC San Diego, a play that was featured on SportsCenter’s Top 10 and drew more than 80,000 views on social media.
Fuimaono graduated from Cal State Bakersfield with a degree in psychology.
A 2021 graduate of Oceanside High School, Fuimaono was coached by Michael and Audrey Romero. She was a three-time All-League honoree, earned Team MVP honors as a freshman and senior, and was named to the honor roll twice.
