Cyrena Taylor returned to the Chico State softball coaching staff on a volunteer basis for the 2026 season.
In her return to the program, Taylor helped head coach Angel Shamblin’s Wildcats post a 19-25 overall record and a 13-19 mark in California Collegiate Athletic Association play. Chico State finished sixth in the nine-team CCAA, narrowly missing a conference tournament berth, and closed the season with a series win over nationally ranked Cal State East Bay.
Four Wildcats earned All-CCAA honors during the 2026 season. Amelie Valdez and Brianna Swihart were named Second Team All-CCAA, while Kennedy Gustin and Bella Tavares received honorable mention. Valdez also earned CCAA Pitcher of the Week honors during the season.
Taylor previously served as a member of the Wildcats’ coaching staff following an impressive collegiate playing career, including her final three seasons at Chico State. Her transition from player to coach helped keep her closely connected to a program she helped elevate as one of the top hitters in school history.
As a senior in 2018, Taylor batted .339 and helped lead Chico State to one of the greatest seasons in program history. The Wildcats captured the program’s first CCAA regular-season title, won the NCAA West Region crown, and advanced to the NCAA Championship Finals. For her efforts, Taylor earned All-CCAA and All-West Region honors.
Taylor was named the CCAA Newcomer of the Year in 2016 after batting .373 and setting a Chico State single-season record with 19 doubles. She also earned All-CCAA and All-West Region recognition that season.
Taylor remains one of the most productive hitters in Chico State softball history. She ranks fourth in program history in career batting average (.355), sixth in slugging percentage (.535), ninth in doubles (34), tied for ninth in extra-base hits (44), and 10th in runs batted in (81).
Before coming to Chico State, Taylor starred at Odessa College in Odessa, Texas, where she twice earned All-Western Junior College Athletic Conference honors and was named to the 2015 National Junior College Athletic Association All-Region V Team.
A 2013 graduate of Los Osos High School in Rancho Cucamonga, Taylor helped lead the Grizzlies to two straight Baseline League championships.
Taylor received her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Chico State in 2018.
