Tuli Iosefa Leads NSU Softball by Example

As Tuli Iosefa sat in the doctor’s office, she thought her softball career was over. But as the doctor told a teary-eyed Iosefa that she’d suffered a dislocated elbow, the fifth-year senior had heard all she needed to know: There would be a chance to return. 

She completed that comeback within three weeks, starting in NSU’s nationally televised game against N.C. Central on Apr. 15. She may have completed her short-term rehab goal, but Iosefa’s main priority is achieving something she’s chased for the past five years: a MEAC championship.

Iosefa’s softball story began all the way back in the first grade, or at least that’s the farthest back she can remember. After initially experimenting with basketball, she soon figured out her real passion lived on the diamond. She would also compete on her school’s track & field team in high school, but softball always remained the main focus.

As the oldest child in her Virginia Beach household, Iosefa never shied away from competition. From racing her siblings around the house to stepping into the batter’s box for clutch at-bats, her mindset remained the same: win. 

Although the high expectations she set for herself and her teams can lead to frustration and disappointment at times, it also leads to triumphant, emotional payoffs. Iosefa learned that lesson at the 2015 18U ASA Eastern National Championship in La Plata, Maryland, where her travel team pulled off a long run against a group of heavyweights to win the title.

“That was probably the greatest feeling, knowing that even though we didn’t start off too hot, we ended up winning big and finishing off on a really great season,” Iosefa said.

When college recruitment came around, Iosefa didn’t have to look far for a destination with an excellent blend of athletics and academics.  Plenty of teachers and coaches at Green Run High School received their degrees at Norfolk State, including head football coach Brandon Williams, and they emphasized the “family” feeling that the school’s community provides.

“There’s a heavy influence of NSU alumni at my high school,” Iosefa said. “Just hearing the feedback that they gave, especially from former athletes, I knew I definitely wanted to check it out.

But Iosefa’s first year with the Spartans came at the same time as another debut: NSU head coach James Inzana. A veteran in the coaching field, Inzana was already familiar with the power-hitting Iosefa from his work with travel ball and recruiting during his time at Virginia Wesleyan. He knew he had inherited a gem for the NSU program.

“She was quiet and loved to play and gave 100% whenever she was out there,” Inzana said. “Just a really good teammate, a really good person.”

While fans may know her now as a catcher, Iosefa made her way into the starting lineup at third base as a freshman. Kylee Lopez, who currently holds the NSU record for career home runs, had the catching position locked down. Five years later, Iosefa sits three homers away from tying Lopez for that top spot.

Iosefa would handle third base duties until her junior year, the team’s first season without Lopez. Iosefa moved back to catching, but it didn’t go how she’d hoped. 

“I didn’t really get the reps that I needed to be effective behind the plate,” she said. “I wasn’t really in shape for behind the plate like Kylee was. That was a pretty rough year for me.”

Not only did she feel uncomfortable defensively, but her batting numbers took a dive as well. The COVID-19 pandemic brought the season to a close just 21 games in, but Iosefa finished with a .196 average, a dramatic decrease from .263 the year before. She attributed her offensive struggles to the stress that she endured from the position change.

With an extra long offseason, Iosefa made sure she arrived for the 2021 campaign prepared. Not only did she work tirelessly on her throwing and catching mechanics, she also addressed the mental aspect of the game. Knowing she needed to gain confidence in herself, Iosefa began meditating.

“I really focused on meditating and just saying positive affirmations for myself,” she said. “Making sure that when negative thoughts come to my head, I just let it go and remain the positive person that I am.”

And the work paid off. Iosefa made her flings to second with conviction her senior year, throwing out ten baserunners on steal attempts. Her hitting took massive leaps, finishing with a .330 average, 36 RBIs and eight home runs on the way to first-team All-MEAC honors. 

Despite putting up one of the best individual seasons in program history, Iosefa felt a sense of unfinished business. She wanted to bring a MEAC title to Norfolk, and although the team had taken great strides under Inzana’s leadership thus far, they hadn’t reached that mark yet. Iosefa decided to come back for her fifth year of eligibility.

“I wanted to come back and keep that fire going and get to our ultimate goal of being the first team in Norfolk State history to win the MEAC,” she said. 

Iosefa hasn’t slowed down a bit this year, posting a .341 hitting clip with six homers and 34 RBIs. She’s made most of her appearances as the team’s designated player, which she said has helped her avoid throwing injuries and focus solely on impacting the game with her bat. 

The only hindrance: a surprise dislocated elbow. But she has returned in stride, hitting two home runs against N.C. Central on Saturday. Inzana pointed to her quick recovery as a better example than any of her leadership the last five years. 

“She leads by example,” Inzana said. “She did everything she had to physical therapy-wise, and did everything to the tee to get back as soon as possible. She didn’t miss a single practice. She just doesn’t miss stuff, so she shows the players how important it is to attend everything and get your reps in.”

As a local product, Iosefa has been lucky enough to hear her family’s support at every home series of her career. Knowing many of her teammates don’t have that luxury, Iosefa and the squad’s other upperclassmen have made it a priority to create a welcoming environment for new players. She said it shows how close-knit this team is and maintains full confidence that the program will only continue to grow under Inzana after she departs.

“We always invite them over, just giving them a sense that they have that second family,” Iosefa said. “Showing that they are going to be taken care of, and their family at home doesn’t need to worry about that.”

Iosefa is a physical education major at Norfolk State and hopes to someday become a high school P.E. teacher. But she’s not ready to leave the sport just yet. She’d has already begun to dip her toes into the coaching at the travel level alongside some of her teammtes, and Inzana thinks Iosefa’s personality would make her an excellent coach.

“We’re blessed that we have several players that coach on an organized AAU team in the local community,” he said. “They do a great job, taking what they learn here and applying it there.”