Nike Softball Camp at Portland State University

In 2022, McWhorter led the Vikings to their winningest season since 2011, compiling a 28-18 record. The Vikings went 10-5 in conference action, finishing in third place as the No. 3 seed at the tournament. McWhorter led the Vikings to their best start in program history (4-1), two wins over Pac-12 opponents (Cal and Oregon state), and the program's first win over a ranked opponent since 2011 (6-1 over No. 23 Oregon State). Six Vikings earned All-Conference honors, including first team selections Olivia Grey, Paetynn Lopez and Logan Riggenbach. Under the direction of McWhorter, Grey (second team pitcher) and Riggenbach (third team outfielder) were also named NFCA All-Pacific Region honorees.

In 2021, McWhorter led Portland State to its second Big Sky Championship in program history and its first NCAA Tournament Appearance since the 2013 season. After posting a 15-26 overall record and 8-10 record in Big Sky play, the Vikings became the first team in Big Sky softball history to win the tournament championship as the five-seed. McWhorter guided eight players to all-conference honors, including First team All-Big Sky selection Marissa Bruno. They finished the season with the highest batting average in program history (.320) which was the 13th-best in the nation.

McWhorter's fourth season with the Vikings was cut short due to COVID-19. During the shortened season, the Vikings went 6-18 overall (0-0 in Big Sky action).

McWhorter built off a solid second year with a 20-win season and a repeat trip to the Big Sky tournament in 2019. The Vikings finished fifth in the Big Sky with an 8-9 record, turning things around in the second half of the conference season. In the conference tournament, they upset host Sacramento State with a 2-1 win in 11 innings, the longest game in Big Sky postseason history.

After another near-upset against top-seeded Weber State in 10 innings on the same day, the Vikings fell to the bottom of the bracket and were eliminated by Montana.

She also guided Darian Lindsey to one of the best single seasons at the plate. Lindsey broke single-season records with 20 doubles and a .675 slugging percentage. She also set D-I era Portland State records in batting average (.404) and on-base percentage (.512).

McWhorter guided seven players to postseason honors from the Big Sky in 2019. Lindsey was named First Team All-Big Sky at shortstop while Rachel Menlove (C), Katie Schroeder (P), Tayler Gunesch (OF) and Kaela Morrow (UT) all received second team selection. Sala Pedebone (3B) and Marissa Bruno (OF) were honorable mentions.

McWhorter and the Vikings turned a corner in her second season on the Park Blocks. Portland State went 19-34 overall and finished fourth in the Big Sky Conference with a 10-10 record, earning her first conference tournament bid. The Vikings dropped the tournament opener but picked up their first tournament win since 2013, knocking out the defending tournament champion and host Weber State.

The 19 overall wins, 10 conference wins, and fourth Big Sky series wins were all the most for the program since 2013. With her first signing class, McWhorter brought in an infusion of power to the lineup. Portland State hit 28 home runs as a team, the most, again, since 2013.

Portland State had four players earn All-Big Sky Conference honors in 2018, including a first team selection for Kaela Morrow (Non-P/UT). Alyssa Burk (P), Darian Lindsey (SS), and Rachel Menlove (C) all earned second team honors. Lindsey was also named the program’s first Big Sky Newcomer of the Year.

In her first season on the Park Blocks, McWhorter began to rebuild the PSU program. She inherited just nine returners from the previous year’s roster and welcomed 11 freshman, which made up one of the nation’s largest freshmen classes. Portland State went 9-36 overall and 7-14 in Big Sky Conference play in 2017, narrowly missing out on the Big Sky Softball Championship.

McWhorter and her staff guided senior Shae Nelson a career year and her second consecutive All-Big Sky Honorable Mention honor. Nelson finished the regular season just outside the Big Sky’s top 10 with a .343 batting average.

During McWhorter’s tenure leading Mt. Hood, she coached six players who went on to play for Portland State including recent PSU graduates Kristen Crawford and SheaLee Lindsey. McWhorter posted an impressive 468-146 (.762) overall record at Mt. Hood winning five Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) titles (2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, and 2016).

McWhorter was named the NWAC Coach of the Year four times (2009, 2010, 2014, and 2016) and her staff has earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Coaching Staff of the Year honors three times (2004, 2008, 2014).

McWhorter led the MHCC program to three 40-win seasons including a program best 43-7 record in 2007. Her teams won over 80-percent of their games in eight of her 14 seasons at MHCC. Twenty-five of her players have earned NFCA All-American honors.

McWhorter started her playing career at Mt. Hood before finishing at Jacksonville State University where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation Administration.

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.

She joined the Colgate staff ahead of the 2020 season, helping the Raiders to 48 wins over three seasons on staff. As a result of Romero's infield expertise, the Raiders' recorded the highest fielding percentage on record (.970 in 2021), a twelve-point improvement from their .958 percentage in 2019. Offensively, Colgate jumped from a .245 batting average to .283 in 2021, leading the Patriot League in home runs with 26. In 2022, Romero helped guide the Raiders to their first 20-win season since 2019 and their third-straight Patriot League Tournament appearance.

The Redondo Beach, Calif. native had a successful career as an infielder for Colgate from 2015-2019. She earned Patriot League First Team honors in her final season after posting a .325 average with 51 hits, including 15 doubles and three home runs. She finished her career with a .249 average and a .341 on-base percentage.

Romero was a two-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selection, graduating in 2019 with a degree in educational studies.