Western Washington University Athletics

WWU Career: Played in 93 games and made 78 starts over her four year WWU career ... a sure-handed defensive catcher and team-leader, Paulson's .988 career fielding percentage ranks 4th in program history, with 315 putouts, 12 assists and four runners caught stealing to just four career errors ... Recorded a career bating average of .241 (53-for-220) with 11 doubles, two triples, a home run and 24 RBI ... Also an excellent student-athlete, she was a three-time GNAC All-Academic selection as well as a 2022 academic all-district selection and 2024 Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete ... In her time with the Vikings she helped the Vikings win the GNAC tournament in 2021 and 2024 as well winning the West Region and finishing as national runners-up in her 2024 senior season.

2024 (Senior):

• Named to the GNAC All-Academic team for the third time in her career.
• Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete.
• Played in 41 games, starting in 38 during national runners-up season.
• Recorded career-high batting marks with a .259 average, .348 slugging%, 7 doubles and 12 RBI.
• Hit her first collegiate home-run in her home state during a 7-0 win at Western Oregon (4/27).
• Recorded a .978 fielding percentage with 84 putouts and threw out a runner stealing stealing.
• Came up clutch in back-to-back elimination game wins during West Regional Final (5/11), going 3-for-5 with three RBI including the game-winning RBI in game two.

2023 (Junior):

• Played in 37 games, starting 30 games for the Vikings.
• Named to GNAC All-Academic team.
• Academic All-District.
• Recorded 22 hits, including 4 doubles and 2 triples, in 89 at-bats.
• Recorded a fielding percentage of .995, with 175 putouts and only 1 error.
• Recorded career-high 3 hits vs San Francisco St. (4/1).

 
2022 (Sophomore): 

• Appeared in 12 games and started in eight. 
• Recorded two hits, one run, and one RBI. 
• .980 fielding percentage. 
• Qualified for the GNAC All-Academic team. 

Prior to WWU: Two-time All-State selection during her prep career at Tigard High School ... batted .426 with a .513 on-base percentage, .710 slugging percentage and a 1.223 OPS ... three-time 6A Three Rivers League All-Conference selection, including a pair of unanimous first-team selections ... selected as the Tigard HS Female Athlete of the Year in 2020 ... standout student-athlete that was the recipient of the Top GPA Award in 2019 and was a consistent member of the Honor Roll.
 
Paulson on Choosing WWU:
"I chose WWU because it reminded me of home and I felt that I would fit in perfectly. I love Coach Gilmore and the academic opportunities Western offers."
 
Coach Gilmore on Paulson:
"Emily is one of the toughest defensive catchers I have ever watched play the game and consistently makes highlight reel plays behind the plate. She also brings a high softball IQ and strong character. We are excited to have her grit, toughness, and leadership in our program."
 

Year	avg	gp-gs	ab	r	h	2b	3b	hr	rbi	tb	slg%	bb	hbp	so	gdp	ob%	sf	sh	sb-att	po	a	e	fld%
2021....	.000	3-2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	0	0	0	0	.000	0	0	0-0	8	1	0	1.000
2022....	.105	12-8	19	1	2	0	0	0	1	2	.105	2	0	6	0	.182	1	0	1-1	48	2	1	.980
2023....	.247	37-30	89	11	22	4	2	0	11	30	.337	11	4	9	0	.352	1	0	0-0	175	6	1	.995
2024....	.259	41-38	112	12	29	7	0	1	12	39	.348	6	0	14	1	.292	2	2	0-0	84	3	2	.978
TOTAL...	.241	93-78	220	24	53	11	2	1	24	71	.323	19	4	29	1	.308	4	2	1-1	315	12	4	.988

 

SINGLE-GAME HIGHS [all-time ranking]: Hits: 3, vs San Francisco St., Apr 01, 2023 Doubles: 1, 11 times Triples: 1 [t-8th], at Chaminade, Feb 20, 2023 ; vs Saint Martin's, May 05, 2023 Home runs: 1, at Western Oregon, Apr 27, 2024 Total bases: 6, at Western Oregon, Apr 27, 2024 RBI: 2, 6 times Runs scored: 2, at Western Oregon, Apr 27, 2024 ; vs Stanislaus State, Feb 03, 2024 ; vs Academy of Art, Mar 31, 2023 Walks: 2, 4 times Hit by pitch: 1, 4 times Struck out: 2, 4 times Sac flies: 1 [t-4th], 4 times Sac bunts: 1, at Western Oregon, Apr 28, 2024 ; Saint Martin's, Mar 29, 2024 At bats: 5, vs Chico State, Feb 10, 2024 ; Western Oregon, Mar 26, 2023 ; vs Saint Martin's, May 05, 2023 Stolen bases: 1, at Northwest, Mar 22, 2022 Field chances: 13, at Concordia Irvine, Feb 03, 2022 Putouts: 13, at Concordia Irvine, Feb 03, 2022 Assists: 1, 12 times Runners CS: 1, 4 times   CAREER ALL-TIME RANKINGS: Highest fielding pct.: 4th (.988) Most stolen bases against: 9th (68) Most passed balls: t-15th (6) SINGLE-SEASON RANKINGS: Most stolen bases against: t-4th (42 in 2023) Highest fielding pct.: 7th (.995 in 2023) Most passed balls: t-19th (4 in 2023)