The mark of a great teammate is someone who makes everyone and everything around them better. Amanda Asay was not only that teammate, but she was also one of the most talented baseball players to ever don a Canadian national uniform. She could hit, pitch, catch, field, and she did it all while elevating everyone around her. It’s why for much of Amanda’s 16 years on the national team she was considered one of the best baseball players in the world.

Born and raised in Prince George, Amanda began playing baseball at age five. She was a natural and stood out even against girls and boys several years older than her. Amanda was also a standout in minor hockey eventually playing on Team BC, as well as on a scholarship at Brown University in Rhode Island and later at UBC while finishing her Masters and PhD in Forestry.

Amanda first made the Canadian women’s national baseball team at age 17 in 2005. At first, she played mostly first base, but later reinvented herself at vastly different positions like catcher, pitcher, and designated hitter prolonging her international career. To do this at any level is difficult. To have success at each at the international level like Amanda did is almost unheard of.

During her career, she helped Canada to five medals (two silver, three bronze) at the Women’s Baseball World Cup. After batting .500 at the 2006 World Cup, she was the only Canadian named to the tournament all-star team. Ten years later, she pitched a complete game to put Canada into the gold medal final. Both years she was named Canada’s tournament MVP.

In 2015, Amanda led Canada to an historic silver medal at the Pan American Games in Toronto, the first major multi-sport Games to feature women’s baseball. In 2017, Baseball America ranked her as the seventh-best female baseball player in the world, the only Canadian to make the list. She was twice awarded Baseball Canada’s female player of the year.

At the time of her tragic passing in 2022, Amanda stood as the longest-serving member of the Canadian women’s national baseball team.

Written and researched by Jason Beck, Curator of the BC Sports Hall of Fame.