BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University head softball coach Sheryl Gilmore has announced the addition of Leah Francis as an assistant coach for the 2020 season.
 
Francis joins the Vikings after 15 seasons as the head softball coach at Bellevue College where she had a 542-152 record for a. 781 winning percentage. During her time leading Bellevue College, Francis racked-up 15 consecutive NWAC Championship Tournament appearances, eight North Region Coaching Staff of the Year Awards and three NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year Awards. She is also a 15-year member of the NWAC softball committee.
 
Francis takes pride in helping her student-athletes reach their full-potential on and off the field. While coaching Bellevue College, Francis' team earned 19 All-American Awards, 15 North Region Player of Pitcher of the Year Awards and 132 NWAC All-North Region Honors and numerous All-Academic Awards.
 
As a player, Francis spent four years at the University of Washington, from 1995-1998, as an outfielder and played in three College World Series. She was also named to the Pacific-10 Conference Championship Team and voted team captain during her senior season of 1998.  
 
Outside of softball, Francis has spent the last 19 years at the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) as the Director of Finance and Operations. She is charged with overseeing the business office and implementing systems for budget management and analysis, revenue generation, fiscal controls, ticket distribution and sales and human resource functions.
 
Francis graduated in 1999 from the University of Washington with a Business Degree in Administration and Accounting and received her Master's Degree in physical education and athletic administration from Seattle Pacific University. A product of North Mason High School, Francis is a member of the North Mason Hall of Fame and Kitsap County Hall of Fame.
 
She joins the WWU coaching staff that includes second-year head coach Sheryl Gilmore and assistant coaches Emily Benson, Carlie Richards and Shearyna Labasan. 
  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 enters the 28^th season in program history, 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 completed her first season at the helm of the program in 2019, leading WWU to 27 wins, tied for the 10^th-most in program history.