This week, the Pioneer Spotlight shines on the leadership of Cal State East Bay Baseball and Softball, specifically the programs' respective head coaches, Mike Cummins and Claire Sua-Amundson.
 
Mike Cummins – Head Baseball Coach
Mike Cummins became the head baseball coach at Cal State East Bay in 2016 and his first season with the Pioneers was 2017. He has 45 years of coaching experience and is surrounded by a family of coaches. His father coached baseball and basketball at Monterey Peninsula College, his grandfather was a high school coach in Southern California and his brother coached high school baseball successfully at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, California.
 
But Cummins' coaching influences reach far beyond his relatives. He played for Hall of Fame coach Sal Taormina at Santa Clara University and coached with John Oldham at SCU. Cummins was able to come up through the coaching ranks in an era that included Hall of Fame coaches such as Bob Bennett of Fresno State, Bob Milano of Cal, Mike Gillespie of USC and Mark Marquess of Stanford. About the aforementioned coaches, Cummins says, "The work ethic, attention to detail and competitive spirit really left a mark on me and helped develop my coaching philosophy."
 
And a major component to Cummins' coaching philosophy is accountability. "Accountability is always a theme. Take care of business on and off the field."
 
The Pioneer teams coached by Cummins include a team that reached the CCAA Tournament in 2023, the first CCAA Male Scholar Athlete for the athletic department (Mark Woinarowicz in 2021-22) and a pitcher who became an important part of the 2024 World Series Championship run by the Los Angeles Dodgers (Alex Vesia).
 
Claire Sua-Amundson – Head Softball Coach
Cal State East Bay Softball experienced transformative success under the guidance of head coach Claire Sua-Amundson, renowned for leading the Pioneers to significant accomplishments including the NCAA Division II West Regional qualification in 2024 and numerous postseason awards. Coach Sua-Amundson, having been with the Pioneers since September 2015, has not only coached but also nurtured the talent, propelling the team to unprecedented heights. So far in 2025, the Pioneers are off to a historic 21-4 start to the season.

Before her tenure as head coach, Claire Sua-Amundson enjoyed a prolific coaching stint at the Division I level and a highly decorated collegiate career as a player. As a student-athlete at UCLA, she was a pivotal part of the team, capturing back-to-back NCAA national championships and twice earning All-American honors. Transitioning into coaching, she has brought that level of excellence to Cal State East Bay, impacting various domains from offense to pitcher and catcher development, demonstrating her comprehensive knowledge and dedication to softball.
 
During her coaching career, Claire has learned from some of the best softball coaches in the nation. "I've been really fortunate to have great mentors throughout my coaching career. I feel like I hit the coaching jackpot with the coaches I have been surrounded with. Sue Enquist- one of our games greatest to ever do it.  A true champion. I love her ability to motivate and inspire everyone around her. Nobody does it better. Kelly Inouye-Perez, UCLA head coach and Trisha Ford, head coach at Texas A&M. Both strong successful women in our profession. They are moms, proven winners, who have really taught me how to wear both of those hats."
 
The 2024 season stands out as a milestone under her leadership, with the Pioneers making their mark by reaching the CCAA Championship game and securing a spot in the NCAA Division II West Regional for the first time as a CCAA Member. The team's success is a testament to Sua-Amundson's strategic vision and the hard work of her players, who garnered several prestigious accolades, including the CCAA Freshman of the Year.

Reflecting on the team's philosophy, Coach Sua-Amundson shared, "Our team has been really good about taking it one game at a time, with the understanding that this game doesn't know who is supposed to win. We enjoy our success, it for sure gives us confidence but we will not rest on past success'. With our conference there are no breaks, every game is hard fought and we will continue to push everyday to get better and better. We know what East Bay Softball is and we focus on playing at OUR highest level every game."

As Cal State East Bay continues to excel, the contributions of Claire Sua-Amundson remain a cornerstone of the Pioneer's competitive spirit and ongoing success in collegiate softball.