Former Fordham softball Ram Bella Ayala returned to Fordham in July of 2026 to serve as an assistant softball coach.
"We're excited to welcome Coach Bella back to our program," said head coach Melissa Inouye. "Having coached her as a player, I knew from day one that she had a special feel for the game. She had a tremendous softball IQ, played with confidence and poise, and saw the game through a coach's eyes. She was a natural leader whose understanding of the game elevated everyone around her."
"I am incredibly excited to return home to Fordham as an assistant coach," said Ayala. "This place and program are so special to me and I’m honored to be able to pour back into it all it gave to me during my time as a student-athlete. I am beyond grateful to Coach Melissa and Coach Kenzie for giving me the opportunity to come back and help continue building the Fordham Softball legacy. I look forward to helping our current and future student-athletes create the same meaningful experiences and love for the program that has made such an impact on me."
"Since graduating, she's continued to develop into an outstanding young coach," continued Inouye. "Over the past two years, she's gained valuable Division I experience while helping build a championship program. Having won an A-10 championship as a player and helping Saint Francis win a championship, she understands what it takes to create a winning culture and sustain success.
"What makes this hire especially meaningful is that she already understands the values and expectations of our program. She brings energy, a strong work ethic, and a genuine passion for developing student-athletes. She's someone our players will relate to, learn from, and trust. I'm incredibly excited to have her back on our staff and look forward to the impact she'll have on our program for years to come."
Ayala returns to Rose Hill after serving as an assistant coach at Lafayette College in 2026, helping the Leopards to 16 wins, its highest season win total since 2009, and seven Patriot League victories. Lafayette placed fourth in the Patriot League and qualified for the League’s championship for the first time since 2021.
Lafayette senior Kylee Sweet earned Second Team All-Patriot League honors as well as being named Academic All-Patriot League. She was joined in being named to the Patriot League All-Championship team by fellow senior Marisa Powell.
Prior to her season at Lafayette, Ayala spent the 2025 campaign as a graduate assistant coach at Saint Francis. She guided the Red Flash to a Northeast Conference title and a berth in the NCAA Championship.
Individually, the Red Flash Savannah Nash was named Northeast Conference Player of the Year and Olivia Ulam was named the Northeast Conference's Golden Glove. Saint Francis placed eight players on All-NEC teams, including four on the First Team, two on the Second Team and two on the All-Rookie team.
Ayala spent four seasons playing for the Rams, where she made 132 appearances (112 starts) as an infielder. She hit .249 with 43 runs scored, 45 RBIs, 14 doubles and seven home runs. The Roseville, Calif. native had a fielding percentage of .931 in her career.
She was named to the Atlantic-10 Conference All-Rookie Team, honored as a 2024 NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete, and selected to the A-10 Commissioner's Honor Roll twice.
During her career, Fordham went 112-89-1 overall and 58-31 in conference games. The Rams were A-10 Champions in 2022 after defeating George Washington, the No. 1 seed, twice in the conference tournament. The Rams then advanced to the NCAA Tournament Regionals and drew No. 7-overall seeded Oklahoma State.
Ayala earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Accounting at Fordham and pursued a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Sports Management at St. Francis.
