Manami Calixto is finally back on Miami Dade College’s campus.

Calixto, who led MDC to nationals as a player in 2015, was hired in August of 2023 as the Sharks’ new pitching coach.

“She’s been calling me since I graduated,” Calixto said of MDC coach Gina De Aguero.

Calixto, a Brazilian born in Curitiba (Parana), started playing softball at age seven.

“My mom is of Japanese heritage,” Calixto said. “Softball is much bigger in Japan than in Brazil, and that’s how and why I started playing.”

Calixto, a right-handed pitcher, quickly became a standout, playing for Brazil’s National Team from 2010 to 2015. She represented Brazil in tournaments in the U.S.; Venezuela, Colombia, Peru and Canada.

While playing in Florida, she was “discovered” by scouts, and she started spending her summers in the Miami area, playing for the Lady Canes.

From there, Calixto played for two years at MDC, helping the Sharks finish fifth in the nation in 2015. She then played for UCF, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting in 2017.

After graduation, Calixto started her own marketing company in Orlando, and she finally made the move to Miami in time for the 2024 season.

“I hope to win,” Calixto’s said of her goals at MDC. “I want to help players reach their full potential.”