Claudio Rivera, a standout with the team in 2014 and 2015, returns to USF as an assistant coach
TAMPA, FLA. Sept. 15, 2021 – University of South Florida softball head coach Ken Eriksen has selected former USF pitcher Karla Claudio Rivera to join his 2022 staff as an assistant coach.
“I am so proud that we are bringing back Karla to her alma mater,” Eriksen said. “Karla’s experience not only in the circle for USF but also for Team Puerto Rico, which has included playing in a lot of Olympic-level competitions since 2011, will lend itself with great expertise for our talented pitching staff.”
Claudio was a two-way player at South Florida for Eriksen in 2014 and 2015. She played in 85 games for the Bulls. In total, Claudio tossed 104.2 innings in the circle and tallied a 3.02 earned run average in her two seasons. She also recorded 114 strikeouts, averaging 7.62 per seven innings. Along with a 9-4 record in 2015, she also tossed seven saves, which still ranks second on USF’s single-season list.
On offense, Claudio continued her success at USF. In 106 at-bats, she posted a .208 batting average with 22 hits, including five doubles and six home runs. She also drove home 32 runs at the plate and achieved a .208/.331/.425 slash across her two seasons.
“Karla was a two-way player for us that could hit for power and her ability to spin the ball was an asset,” Eriksen said. “In addition to her international competition, she also has played professionally overseas. The type of experience she has is the kind I have been looking for since the departure of Jess Moore. Combine that with her knowledge of how we do it here can only be beneficial to our team.”
Claudio was a unanimous American Athletic All-Conference First Team selection in her senior season. She also led The American in saves (7) and RBIs in conference games (16) in 2015.
With the Puerto Rican National Softball Team, she helped push the team to two Pan American Games medals, a pair of bronze finishes in 2015 and 2019, and a gold medal at the Central America and Caribbean Games in 2018.
Before she arrived at USF as a player, she played for Santa Fe College, a junior college in Gainesville, Fla. in 2012 and 2013. In her last season with Santa Fe, she was named an NJCAA First Team All-American, the Florida College System Activities Association Pitcher of the Year, First Team All-FCSAA, First Team All Mid-Florida Conference and the Mid-Florida Conference Pitcher of the Year.
She finished her JUCO career with 32 wins, which ranked seventh all-time at Santa Fe, and threw 348 strikeouts, which was third on their all-time list. She also broke offensive records, hitting a school-record 28 home runs in her two years at Santa Fe and drew a program-record 70 walks. Ultimately, she finished her Santa Fe College career 10th in hits (129), tied for 8th in doubles (23), 9th in runs scored (81), and 6th in career batting average (.432).
In her second season with the Saints, she helped lead the team to an NJCAA Atlantic District title and an eighth-place finish at the NJCAA National Tournament.
After graduation from USF, Claudio returned to Santa Fe as an assistant coach during the 2016-2018 seasons. Under head coach Christine Ahern, she helped coach the team to an FCSAA State Tournament appearance in 2017, where the team posted a 33-23 record on the year, including a 14-10 record in conference play.
During her coaching tenure at Santa Fe, she also played professional softball in Europe for the Caronno Rheavendors. She, along with a Puerto Rican National Team teammate, were just the second and third Puerto Rican players to ever play in the European professional leagues.
In addition to her other accolades, Parque de Ciudad Masso in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico named their league for 9-to-18-year-olds after her, titled, “Liga Samaritana de Softball Karla Claudio.”
Most recently, Claudio has been a softball instructor at the B You Academy in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
In addition to her bachelor’s degree in health sciences from USF, Claudio also received an AA degree in Biology/Biological Sciences at Sante Fe College and a master’s degree in Sport and Fitness Administration/Management from the University of Florida.
About USF Softball
Be sure to follow USF softball on social media (Twitter / Facebook / Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information. The USF softball program has been one of the most successful on campus, making 15 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women’s College World Series in 2012.
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