BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University head softball coach Sheryl Gilmore has announced her first recruiting class, adding nine players to the program that will begin playing for the Vikings during the 2020 season.

 

The group of newcomers includes five high school players and four junior college transfers, with seven of the nine players hailing from the state of Washington.

 

Gilmore enters her second year as the Vikings head coach after leading WWU to a 27-18 record in her first season at the helm of the program in 2019. This is her first true recruiting class after taking over the program in September of last year following a successful stop at Edmonds Community College.

 

The 2020 recruiting class includes four true infielders, three outfielders, one all-state pitcher and one utility player. Three of the four incoming transfers were First Team NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) All-American infielders and three incoming outfielders were all named to the Washington High School All-State team.

 

Incoming freshman pitcher Kaelynn Simmons headlines the talented class after a standout prep career at Dallas (OR) High School. Simmons was a two-time Oregon 5A State Pitcher of the Year and three-time All-State selection, combining to go 58-4 as a sophomore, junior and senior while playing in Oregon's second-highest classification.

 

"I am eager to see the freshmen class grow in our system. This class has pitching, power, and speed and will add depth to our veteran outfield," said Gilmore. "With multiple state championship appearances between the five of them, this group knows how to win."

 

Junior college transfers Dakota Brooks (Centralia College), Tatum Dow (Bellevue College) and Chantelle Shimabukuro (Edmonds CC) all earned All-America honors as standouts in the Northwest Athletic Conference. Megan Marino (Bellevue College) was also a two-time NWAC First Team All-Region selection.

 

"I know first-hand how hard Tatum, Megan and Dakota are to get out from coaching against them," said Gilmore. "With 84 home runs between the three of them during their NWAC careers, they have a lot of potential to do damage in the GNAC. Having coached Chantelle at Edmonds her freshman year, I know the value she brings on both sides of the ball and more importantly, the value she brings as a teammate. She will fit right in with how we do things. These are four fierce competitors who will help set the tone in the infield and in the lineup."

 

"We are really excited about the impact this signing class will make in our program both on and off the field," said Gilmore. "We can't wait to get started with Team 28 and start fall practices with this group."

 

Here is a look at the WWU Softball recruiting class that will debut for the Vikings starting in 2020:

 

 

Bellusci (bu-loo-shee) was a two-time Skagit Valley Herald Player of the Year as a junior and senior in 2018 and 2019 out of Anacortes High School…also a four-time Northwest Conference first-team selection…2019 Northwest Conference Offensive MVP batting .725 with 66 hits…two-time All-State selection…over her prep career she established Anacortes HS records for highest batting average (.665) and on-base percentage (.709), hits (226), stolen bases (112) and ranked third with 51 extra-base hits…played club softball for the Washington Ladyhawks…sister, Tara, played for the University of Washington from 2011-12 as a center fielder.

 

Bellusci on Choosing WWU:

"Western has a well-known environmental program that I am extremely interested in. It is a beautiful campus with a stellar softball program. I've always liked smaller cities and Bellingham is the perfect fit for me. Visiting campus, I got nothing but good vibes."

 

Brooks will be a junior transfer for the Vikings after starring at Centralia College in the NWAC…native of Pe Ell, Wash….at Centralia was a two-time NWAC All-Region selection and the South Region MVP in 2018 and 2019…NFCA First Team All-American in 2019…set Centralia single-season record with 20 home runs as a freshman in 2018…added 18 home runs in 2019 to set school record with 38 career home runs…recorded 165 career RBI in 85 career games (1.94 per game)…named the Centralia College Athletics Sportswoman of the Year for 2018-19…helped lead Pe Ell High School to the 2017 2B state title as a senior…three-time First Team All-League and All-Area selection…also selected as the area MVP in 2016 and 2017 (co).

 

Brooks on Choosing WWU:

"I like to think that Western Washington University chose me. When I first visited campus it reminded me of home and everything that I love. Coach Gilmore and my future teammates contributed towards my choosing of my future college. After my visit, I realized there is not anywhere else that I would love to continue my education and softball career. WWU is home to me."

 

Dow is a junior transfer from Bellevue College where she earned NFCA All-America honors as a sophomore in 2019…in 2019 she batted .515 (87-for-169) with 17 home runs and 85 RBI in 49 games, leading Bellevue to a 42-7 overall record and 29-3 mark in league play…combined to bat .476 (158-for-332) with 27 home runs and 167 RBI in 98 career games…named the NWAC North Region MVP and was a two-time First Team All-North Region infielder…played four years of varsity softball and three in basketball at Issaquah High School, serving as team captain for both sports…three-time All-KingCo selection in softball, including a pair of Defensive MVP awards…didn't start playing softball until her freshman year of high school after playing baseball her whole life…played for select club baseball team Dow Baseball (founder by her grandfather) in the Seattle area…played club softball for the NW Bullets and USA Explosion…began collegiate career at Seattle U., but transferred to Bellevue College.

 

Dow on Transferring to WWU:

"Western is the perfect option for me. It offers the major I am interested in, they have a great coaching staff and I am excited to continue playing softball at the next level. Go Viks."

 

Khorrami (khor-rah-mee) helped lead Snohomish High School to a trio of top three finishes at the 3A state level, including the title as a freshman in 2016…selected to the Seattle Times 2019 Star Times All-Area Softball Team…was a Scorebook Live All-State selection as a senior and named to the Everett Herald All-Area Team…was recognized for her defensive skills as the Golden Glove Award winner by Snohomish High School as a senior, making 12 diving catches and seven home run-saving grabs…as a senior batted .495 with 2 home runs, 8 doubles and 4 triples…left-handed hitter played club for S.W.A.T.

 

Liljenberg (lil-jen-berg) was a four-year varsity letterwinner in softball playing for Stadium High School…a graduate of Life Christian Academy (did not offer softball)…was a four-year All-Pierce County League selection…helped lead Stadium to the state tournament as a senior in 2019, losing to eventual state champion Garfield in the quarterfinals…played for the Washington Acers club program, combining to bat .543 with 84 stolen bases over her last four years.

 

Liljenberg on Choosing WWU:

"I chose WWU as soon as I stepped onto campus. I felt like it was home."

 

Marino was a two-year standout at Bellevue College, where she earned a pair of NWAC All-Region awards…prior to playing at BC, Marino starred at Bothell High School where she was a four-time MVP of the softball team…named to the All-KingCo team all four years of her prep career, including first-team honors as a junior and senior…in 98 games for Bellevue College, she combined to bat .430 (138-for-321) with 18 home runs, 161 runs scored and 105 RBI…Marino is the second cousin of former WWU basketball player and Hall of Famer Gina Sampson.

 

Marino on making the decision to transfer to WWU:

"I chose Western because I love the college town setting and it has a program with great teammates and coaching staff."

 

Shimabukuro (she-muh-boo-kur-oh) will be a junior for the Vikings in 2020, bringing an impressive softball resume to WWU…she was a two-time NWAC All-North Region infielder (2018-19) and an NFCA First Team All-American in 2019…she was named the Edmonds CC Female Athlete of the Year in 2019…appeared in 98 career games for Edmonds, combining to bat .443 (152-for-343) with 128 runs scored, 36 doubles, 4 triples, 7 home runs and 109 RBI…helped lead Edmonds to a pair of playoff appearances, including a second-place finish in 2019…ECC went 83-18 during her two years…was a first-team All-State and All-Conference infielder at Aiea High School.

 

Shimabukuro on what drew her to WWU:

"When I came to WWU on my official visit, I really liked the campus life and the athletic facilities. Academically, the school is a perfect fit for me because of the great kinesiology program. The team was very welcoming and had great energy which created a great vibe for me. Most of all, I loved playing for Coach Sheryl at Edmonds and I know I will continue to have the same great experience with her and the rest of the team at WWU."

 

Simmons will be a freshman for the Vikings in 2020 after a heralded prep career at Dallas High School…she was a two-time Oregon 5A Pitcher of the Year, combining to go 58-4 over the final three seasons of her high school career…also a three-time All-State selection and three years was named the Mid-Willamette Conference Pitcher of the Year…during her senior season she led Dallas to a second-place finish at the state tournament, going 18-3 with a 1.40 ERA…totaled 189 strikeouts in 120 innings to earn her third all-state honor…as a junior was a perfect 22-0 with a 1.30 ERA, recording 155 strikeouts in 122.0 innings…played club softball for OC Batbusters.

 

Gilmore on Simmons:

"Yaya (Kaelynn) has a lot of experience on the "big stage" against elite competition. She is a quiet competitor who seems to enjoy being the one with the ball in her hand, fighting for her team, and that's exciting to see in a freshman."

 

Simmons on why she chose WWU:

"I chose Western because I loved Coach Gilmore and the vision she had for the softball team, and I wanted to be part of it. I also knew I will be able to succeed at WWU academically and athletically. Not only that, but I loved Western, and I felt at home as soon as I stepped on campus."

 

Tarbox is a versatile player that was primarily an outfielder for prep powerhouse Henry M. Jackson High School…she was a four-year letterwinner for Jackson, helping the Timberwolves to back-to-back 4A state championships in 2018 and 2019…team captain and co-MVP during her senior year…was named the WIAA Player of the Game in the 4A state championship game in 2018…as a senior batted .462 with 9 doubles, 6 home runs and 47 RBI…selected as a First Team All-State outfielder byScorebook Live  and was a member of the 2019 Everett Herald All-Area team…played club for Absolute Blast.

 

Tarbox on what drew her to WWU:

"I chose Western because of the beautiful campus and the majors it has to offer academically."

 

Up-to-date season information, including season statistics, bios, roster, schedule and historical information can be viewed online at WWUVikings.com/Softball. WWU Softball also has a strong social media presence on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, so give them a follow!

 

The WWU softball program recently completed its 27^th season, with the Vikings posting a winning record in 17 seasons. WWU won the 1998 NAIA National Championship to record the school's first ever team national title and has made four trips to the NCAA Division II Regional Championships, last in 2017. Over the last six (since 2014), the Vikings are 162-122 (.555) and won the 2017 GNAC Tournament to advance to the NCAA II West Regional in Monterey, California. Head coach Sheryl Gilmore recently completed her first season at the helm of the program, leading WWU to 27 wins, tied for the 10^th-most in program history.