Kellie Wilkerson

Former U.S. National Team member Kellie Wilkerson is in her seventh year as an assistant coach, tenth overall, after rejoining the Portland State staff prior to the 2017 season.

Since rejoining the staff, Wilkerson has helped the Vikings to a 19-win season in 2018 and 20 wins in 2019, and 28 wins in 2022, the most since 2011. In 2021, Wilkerson helped guide the Vikings to their second Big Sky Championship in program history and first NCAA Tournament Appearance in eight years. The Vikings landed eight on all-conference teams and finished the year with the highest team batting average in program history (.320). In 2022, the Vikings had six All-Conference honorees, including three first team selections.

During her time at Sandy HS, Wilkerson had multiple Oregon 5A playoff appearances including a 2013 Oregon 5A State Championship in which she led the Pioneers to a 27-1 record. She coached two 5A Players of the Year, had 10 student-athletes receive athletic scholarships, and graduated three valedictorians.

Wilkerson, who was a five-year member of the national team from 2001-05, works with the outfielders and assists with hitting. Her off-field duties include recruiting and team travel.

In her three seasons at PSU, Wilkerson has helped mold the Vikings pitching staff into one of the best in the Pacific Coast Softball Conference. She helped the Vikings to two league titles and a pair of NCAA Regional appearances in 2009 and 2011.

In 2011 the Vikings went 34-18 with a 2.06 ERA, their lowest in five season. For the second straight year, Portland State’s top two pitchers – Anna Bertrand and Nichole Latham – swept the two pitchers spots on the All-PCSC Mountain Division first team. Latham also took home PCSC Mountain Division Pitcher of the Year honors. It marked the third straight season in which a Portland State pitcher was named either PCSC or Mountain Division Pitcher of the Year.

The 2010 staff set school records with 355 strikeouts and six saves, and their top two pitchers – Anna Bertrand and Nichole Latham – swept the two pitchers spots on the All-PCSC Mountain Division first team. Bertrand led the PCSC in earned run average, strikeouts and opposing batting average on her way to being named the PCSC Mountain Division Pitcher of the Year and co-Freshman of the Year. The righty recorded 218 Ks on the year, the second most ever at Portland State and the sixth best total in league history. Latham was no slouch, posting an 8-0 record and 0.60 ERA during conference play. Those two, along with Tori Rogers and Kendra Suhr, combined for a 2.78 ERA, the third best mark in PSU’s NCAA Division I history.

During the 2009 season, Latham and Rogers formed a potent 1-2 punch that went 27-19 overall and 15-5 in PCSC play. Latham was especially dominant on her way to being named the PCSC Pitcher of the Year and a first team Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Pacific Region honoree. She led the conference in wins (16), strikeouts (145) and opposing batting average (.226). Rogers was a second team all-conference selection after going 8-2 with a 2.40 ERA in PCSC games. Wilkerson’s impact was immediate in her first year as the Vikings pitching staff lowered their earned run average from 3.51 to 3.24 and the ‘09 pitching staff held opponents to a .245 batting average after opposing hitters recorded a .270 mark in 2008.

A former player in the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league, Wilkerson won the 2008 NPF batting title with an average of .407 while playing for the Philadelphia Force. She also tied for eighth in the league with 22 RBI and led the Force in slugging percentage (.549) and on-base percentage (.492). Wilkerson was honored as a first team All-NPF selection in 2008, and was also a first team member as a first baseman in 2007 while playing for the Force. She also played for the New York/New Jersey Juggernaut in 2004 and helped the squad to the NPF championship. She then went on to play the 2005 season for the New England Riptide, and the 2006 season for the Connecticut Brakettes.

Wilkerson graduated in 2003 with a degree in sports management from Mississippi State University, where she was a four-time All-American and a four-time first team All-SEC pick. She left MSU with a career batting average of .429 and 44 home runs, and is the all-time SEC leader in career walks with 177. She was also impressive in the circle for the Bulldogs, amassing 32 career saves. In 2002, Wilkerson set the NCAA single season record for saves with 14.
During the fall of 2010, Wilkerson was inducted into the Mississippi State Athletic Hall of Fame. She, along with two other inductees, were honored during the MSU-Georgia football game on Sept. 25.

Prior to coaching at Canby, Wilkerson spent one year (2004-05) working as an instructor at Club K in Nashville, Tenn. She also was the head assistant coach from Sept. 2003-May 2004 at Tennessee State University.

Wilkerson was a Nike endorsed athlete who was a member of the US Junior World Olympic Team in 1999, and also competed in various Pan Am qualifiers with the national team.

A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Wilkerson graduated in 1998 from Mandarin High School where she was a four-time winner of the The Florida Times-Union Softball Player of the Year award. She is the only Jacksonville athlete to win the award in their respective sport during all four years of high school.