A three-time All-America selection at the University of Florida, Aja Paculba (pronounced Asia pa-COOL-ba) enters her third season as an assistant coach for WKU softball in 2016.
During Paculba’s time in Bowling Green, WKU holds a 69-38-1 record to go with a Conference USA Regular-Season and Tournament Championship. Paculba has worked with two NFCA All-Region honorees and eight All-Conference selections during her time on The Hill.
With Paculba’s assistance, the 2015 squad made earned the right to a spot in a NCAA Regional after taking C-USA by storm in the program’s inaugural season with the league with a 36-14 overall record and 16-5 mark in C-USA. Though it was a season full of adversity after 16 games were cancelled mainly due to winter weather, the Lady Toppers defeated three nationally-ranked opponents in No. 19 Nebraska, No. 16 Georgia and No. 14 Tennessee, a Women’s College World Series participant. The win over the Bulldogs went down as the longest game in program history, as after 14 innings of action, WKU defeated the Bulldogs in walk-off fashion for a NCAA Regional win.
Larissa Franklin and Miranda Kramer were named to the All-Conference USA First Team while Dani Pugh was selected to the second team after tremendous seasons from each. Franklin and Kramer also earned NFCA All-Region honors while Kramer became WKU’s first-ever All-American. Carleigh Chaumont garnered C-USA All-Freshman accolades to go with her and Kathryn Downing being selected to the C-USA All-Tournament Team. Kramer was named MVP after WKU’s C-USA Championship run.
WKU compiled a record of 33-24-1 in 2014 while finishing fourth in the Sun Belt Conference with an 11-10 mark in Paculba’s first season as assistant coach. The Lady Toppers played a tough slate in 2014, securing wins over Southeastern Conference foes Ole Miss and No. 2 Tennessee. The win over the Lady Vols in Knoxville not only was the highest-ranked opponent defeated for WKU, but also broke UT's 121-game winning streak of regular-season, non-conference home games, as UT's last loss came in 2003.
At the season's end, five Lady Toppers were named to the All-Sun Belt Conference team in first-team selections Preslie Cruce, Kelsie Mattox and Olivia Watkins while Emily Rousseau and Amanda Thomas were named to the second team.
Paculba brings a wealth of experience to The Hill after an impressive collegiate career with the Gators, as she played and started in all 271 games during her time in Gainesville. Paculba played on the biggest stage of college softball with four Women's College World Series appearances, finishing runner-up twice. She led Florida to two Southeastern Conference regular-season and tournament championships.
The second baseman was the first freshman to earn All-America honors in school history and was a three-time selection to the NFCA and Easton All-America teams. Chosen to the All-SEC and NFCA All-Southeast Region team all four years, she was also named to the SEC All-Defensive Team three years. Paculba holds the career record as Florida's all-time hits (279), at bats (821), runs scored (253) and walks (160) leader. She also ranks in the top 10 in 10 other career statistical categories.
Graduating from Florida in 2012 with a bachelor of science in family, youth and community sciences, Paculba continued playing softball in the National Pro Fastpitch organization, selected 17th overall by the Diamonds in the 2011 draft. The 2012 and 2013 seasons saw Paculba with the Akron Racers, as the shortstop totaled 40 hits, 19 runs, 24 RBI and six doubles over the two seasons.
As a coach, Paculba worked as a volunteer assistant at FIU in 2012 where she worked with the Panthers' outfielders. She helped FIU to a third-place finish in the Sun Belt Conference with a 28-27 overall record and 15-9 mark in league action and outfielder Ashley McClain to All-SBC First-Team honors.
Originally from Wildomar, Calif., Paculba graduated from Elsinore High School in 2007.
