Seattle University Softball closed out their last season in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) this May, ending a 13-year run that saw the program win two conference championships.
The Redhawks’ last game came in the 2025 WAC Tournament in Riverside, Calif., May 7 to 10. Seattle U entered the tournament with a 28-25 record, including an 11-13 line in conference play. A strong start to the season helped propel the Redhawks to fourth in the conference standings, putting them in good position to succeed in the double-elimination-style tournament.
Seattle U had many memorable moments leading up to the tournament. Nicola Simpson, a graduate student pitcher and designated player, recalled a few of her favorite moments from the season.
“A lot of the girls would agree beating Northwestern in preseason was awesome. We almost beat ASU, [it] was nine innings, we almost beat GCU in eight innings… those are the [moments] I gravitate towards… because that’s why you play the game, right? When it’s tied in the bottom of the seventh, that’s why you love it,” Simpson said.
Simpson also mentioned that, per usual, the team’s goal for the season was to win the WAC Tournament. Their final shot at conference glory opened against the Utah Valley University Wolverines, ranked eighth in the WAC.
The Redhawks got off to a difficult start with the Wolverines scoring three runs in the first inning. Seattle U wasted little time to bounce back, clobbering eight runs in the second and third innings to take a five-run lead. In a game in which eight different Redhawks scored, Seattle U took a 10-3 victory to advance to the next round.
The Redhawks’ next opponent was the highest-seeded team in the conference: the Grand Canyon University (GCU) Antelopes. Heading into the tournament, GCU had won 20 games straight and had only lost twice in conference play. While Seattle U jumped out to a hot start following a three-run first inning, the Antelopes stormed back to win the game 5-3.
The loss left the Redhawks on the brink of elimination; lose one more game and their final WAC tournament would come to a close. With Seattle U trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning of their next match against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds, urgency was at an all-time high.
Seattle U started the inning hot, loading the bases before Junior infielder Taylor Fitch singled to left field, making the score 4-3. During the next at-bat, Graduate Student infielder Jasmine Wehn grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Sophomore infielder Mikee Morris to tie the game. After Simpson popped up to second base, it seemed that the Redhawks would be heading into extra innings. But Sophomore pitcher and outfielder Avari Morris had other plans.
With the season on the line, A. Morris smacked a single into right field, scoring the winning run to send her team into the next round.
While reflecting upon the walk-off shot, A. Morris said she felt confident not just in herself, but in her team as well.
“Usually when I imagine myself in that situation, I think, ‘Oh, my gosh, I would be so terrified.’ But, in that moment, the game was tied, and I felt very calm, just because I knew my team had my back,” A. Morris said. “So for me, it was just the question of when would we win. And so I didn’t feel too much pressure just because, ‘Okay, if it’s me, it’s me, if it’s not, someone else is gonna do it.’”
Seattle U’s next game was a rematch against Utah Valley, who was still alive in the tournament after defeating the California Baptist Lancers. Similar to the first game, the Redhawks took a commanding 8-2 lead off a strong offensive performance. But in the bottom of the sixth, the Wolverines struck back. Utah Valley rallied to score seven runs, good enough to etch out a 9-8 win and knock Seattle U out of the tournament.
While Seattle U wasn’t able to come out on top in their final season in the WAC, the team is excited to compete in the West Coast Conference (WCC) for the first time since 1980.
A. Morris, who threw the program’s sixth no-hitter this season, says she hopes to build upon her pitching skills before next season. She also mentioned another skill she wants to further develop: leadership.
“I think this next year we’re gonna have a pretty young team with a lot of new people… so it’s promising to see that young talent,” A. Morris said. “Finding a way to lead and be able to guide these new people next year is something that I look forward to do.”
While the 2025-26 softball season is still a year away, Redhawk softball fans can spend time familiarizing themselves with the new foes of the WCC, such as the Santa Clara Broncos and Saint Mary’s Gaels. While the new conference does not have a championship tournament, Seattle U is set to compete for WCC glory.
