On Friday, Florida International University softball head coach Olivia Watkins hired Ana Gold as an assistant coach. Gold played four years at Duke, where Watkins was an assistant coach and later associate head coach under Marissa Young. She just completed her second professional season with the Carolina Blaze of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League.
Gold has built a great reputation as a premier infielder and hitter. In 2025, she won the inaugural AUSL Rookie of the Year and was a member of the All-Defensive Team that season. The Ballston Spa, N.Y., native is also a part of the U.S. Women’s National Team pool.
During the USA Softball International Cup, Gold hit .357 with a team-best 1.543 OPS. She also smashed 3 home runs with 5 RBIs for the U.S. Women’s Elite Team.
Watkins welcomed Gold to the program in a statement shared by FIU softball.
“I could not be more excited and grateful to welcome Ana to FIU and have the opportunity to begin this next chapter together. Having coached Ana for three years, I had the privilege of watching her grow not only as a player, but as a person. Her passion for this game, competitive spirit, and desire to continue chasing excellence have always been special.
“Ana continues to compete at the highest level of our sport, and I believe that gives her such a unique ability to connect with our student athletes, understand what they are experiencing and challenge them in a way that is authentic and relatable.
“The knowledge and perspective she brings offensively and defensively will make an immediate impact on our program.
“I believe she has an incredibly bright future in this profession, and I am so grateful that we get to be a part of the beginning of that journey here at FIU.”
Gold becomes the second Carolina Blaze player to recently join the collegiate coaching ranks. Alyssa Brito has taken on an assistant coach position at UNC Wilmington, where she will serve as the hitting coach.
