STARKVILLE – Mississippi State softball head coach Samantha Ricketts has added another coaching duty to her resume, taking charge of the American Samoan National Team ahead of qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Ricketts, who has personal ties to the island on her mother’s side, has recruited and developed seven Samoan players since joining the program as an assistant in 2015, including current Bulldogs Kiarra and Kalani Sells and current American Samoa national teamer Chloe Malau’ulu.
Ricketts’ sister Keilani has played professionally since graduating from Oklahoma in 2013 and has represented the United States at the national level.
“To be entrusted with leading Team American Samoa is a tremendous honor and a responsibility I carry with deep pride and humility,” Ricketts said of the appointment. “This opportunity is about more than LA2028. It’s about building a sustainable pathway that connects our culture, our people and our athletes across generations. I am grateful to the ASSA for the belief they have placed in me, and I am committed to honoring American Samoa through the way we build, compete and grow together.”
The American Samoan team will begin its Olympic qualification campaign at the Canada Cup in British Columbia in July, followed by the USA Softball International Cup in Oklahoma City later that month.
The national team is coming off of a successful 2025, in which they won the Pacific Mini Games.
“As a proud daughter of American Samoa with lineage rooted in the village of Leone, Coach Ricketts’ appointment carries deep meaning for our softball community and our nation,” ASSA president Fa’asao Sili said. “Her journey, accomplishments and dedication to the game serve as an inspiration to our athletes, coaches and young players who aspire to represent American Samoa at the highest level.”
Ricketts is entering her 12th season with the Bulldogs and her seventh as head coach, with a track record of success and program growth in Starkville. She has a 198-119 record at MSU with no losing seasons and at least 25 wins in every campaign. In her time in charge, the program won its first-ever NCAA Regional in 2022 and reached the NCAA Tournament four times.
During Ricketts’ tenure, 16 Bulldogs have gone on to play the sport professionally, including first-round Athletes Unlimited Softball League draftees Raelin Chaffin and Sierra Sacco, who helped lead the Talons to the league’s inaugural championship last summer.
This is the second national team coaching appointment in MSU history after former softball head coach Jay Miller, who served as an assistant for the United States national team in 2004. Current Bulldog assistant Zac Shaw is the team captain for the US Men’s National Softball Team.
The 2026 Bulldogs will begin their campaign tomorrow against Baylor at the Getterman Classic. The Bulldogs and Bruins will face off at 6:30 p.m. MSU’s first home game against Southern Miss will take place next Tuesday at 4 p.m.
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