By: Jeff Evans, Assistant AD for Athletic Communications
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The GNAC champion Western Washington University Softball team had nine selections to the 2025 All-Conference team.
WWU dominated the postseason conference awards list with eight players earning a spot on the All-GNAC team. Sophomore Kaiana Kong was voted the Pitcher of the Year, sophomore third baseman Maleah Andrews the co-Player of the Year and Sheryl Gilmore earning co-Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive season.
The Vikings claimed the 2025 GNAC regular-season title going 21-3 in league play and head into the postseason with a 37-10 overall mark, carrying a 10-game winning streak and winners of 16 of their last 17 games. Western is the No. 1 seed in the GNAC Championships that opens play Thursday in Nampa, Idaho.
WWU All-GNAC Selections:
Sophomore Kaiana Kong was voted by the league's coaches as the GNAC Pitcher of the Year, after posting a league-leading 1.31 ERA across 90.2 innings pitched during the regular season. The right-hander is 9-0 on the season with a conference-leading seven saves. Kong is the sixth Viking to earn the conference's top pitching honor, joining Amanda Grant (2002 & 2003), Jackie Quint (2007), Erika Quint (2011), Anna Kasner (2017) and Mareena Ramirez (2023).
Sophomore third baseman Maleah Andrews shared GNAC Player of the Year honors with Saint Martin's first baseman Heather Ebner. Andrews currently leads the GNAC and ranks second in Division II softball with a .500 batting average (73-for-146). Entering the upcoming GNAC Championships tournament, Andrews leads the GNAC (and NCAA II) in on-base percentage (.596), runs scored (54), hits (73), doubles (18) and walks (35), ranks 4th in slugging percentage (.726) and is 8th in RBI (38). She has committed just four errors in 127 total chances at third base, holding a .969 fielding percentage. Andrews is the fifth player in WWU history to garner the league's top award, joining Liza Teichler (2007), Alexie Levin (2014), Emily Benson (2019) and current teammate Hailey Rath (2024). Andrews was also a first-team selection as a freshman in 2024 while also earning GNAC Tournament MVP honors.
Representing the GNAC-champion Vikings on the first team along with Andrews and Kong were senior pitcher Joie Baker, senior catcher Emma Andrewjeski-Ramirez and junior shortstop Hailey Rath. Baker was equally as dominant in the circle as Kong, ranking 2nd in the GNAC with a 1.89 ERA, 1st in opponents' batting average at .205, third in strikeouts with 87 and 3rd in wins with 13. Andrewjeski-Ramirez hit .357 with 6 home runs and 47 RBI, while starting 43 games and striking out just eight times across 151 plate appearances. Rath, the 2024 GNAC Player of the Year, earned her third straight first-team honor after hitting .352 with 13 doubles, 5 home runs and 36 RBI while starting all 47 games.
Sophomore starting pitcher Alli Kimball (14-3, 2.04 ERA, 2 saves) and second baseman Kanilehua Pitoy (.370/.405/.500) each garnered second-team all-conference for WWU. Kimball went 10-0 with a pair of saves and 1.59 ERA during 12 appearances during the Vikings 21-3 record in conference play. Junior first baseman Olivia Matlock was selected honorable mention All-GNAC batting .313 with 9 doubles, 5 home runs and 37 RBI in 46 games. The transfer from Saint Martin's was a Second Team All-GNAC pick in 2023.
Sheryl Gilmore shared Coach of the Year honors with Simon Fraser's Stacy Fournier. Gilmore delivered WWU's second GNAC regular-season title and first since the 2007 campaign as the No. 9 Vikings went 37-10 overall and dominated GNAC play at 21-3 in league games. Gilmore claimed the top coach honor for the second straight season and became the first Viking skipper with multiple GNAC Coach of the Year awards. Gilmore recorded her 200th victory at the helm of the Western program on April 19 and heads into the GNAC Championships with a 204-113 (.643) record leading the Vikings.
