ATLANTA — Georgia State University proudly announces the appointment of Sydney Kuma as the newest addition to its softball coaching staff, head coach Becca Mueller announced.

Kuma joins the Panthers as an Assistant Softball Coach, bringing a stellar collegiate career and a passion for the sport that promises to enrich the team's dynamics and performance.

"I couldn't be more excited to welcome Sydney to our staff," Mueller said. "She comes from an elite level program with superior knowledge on all sides of the ball. Her playing career had many successes, but what I love most about her is her work ethic, resourcefulness and team first mentality." 

Sydney Kuma arrives at Georgia State with an impressive list of honors and achievements from her playing career at the University of Georgia. As a standout athlete, Kuma garnered recognition such as being named to the NFCA Third Team All-America in 2023 and the Softball America Second Team All-America in the same year. 

Her contributions extended to the NFCA All-Southeast Region and being named First Team All-SEC, showcasing her prowess both defensively as a member of the SEC All-Defensive Team and offensively with impressive statistics including a .379 batting average, 12 home runs, and 49 RBIs in her senior year alone.

A native of Fresno, California, Kuma Graduated with a degree in Sport Management in December 2023. Kuma also excelled academically and was recognized on the Spring SEC Academic Honor Roll throughout her collegiate career. 

Her leadership extended beyond the field, participating actively in the UGA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, demonstrating a commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive team environment.

There's no doubt she will be one of the first people to remind the players she is in their back pocket's," Mueller said. "She is a great fit for this program, and I can't wait to see her contributions to our future success!"