Softball named EvCC Team of the Year

Everett, WA - The 2024-2025 Everett Community College Athletics Team of the Year Award was presented on Thursday evening at the annual EvCC Athletic Awards and Hall of Fame Banquet.  For the second time in a five year span, the honor goes to Trojan Softball.  

The team was coached by assistant Dennis Mallory and head coach Randy Smith who finished his 23rd season at EvCC and eclipsed the 500 win mark, now at 512 career wins.  Everett's spectacular run to the NWAC championship game had modest beginnings, unranked in the NWAC Coaches Pre-Season Poll.  Everett opened up the season with an impressive win over then #3 ranked SW Oregon and two wins over #6 ranked Clackamas.  From that moment EvCC went on to win 8 non-region games and started to gain respect from the league by climbing up to #7 in the coaches poll.  

Through the start of North region play, the Trojans won 6 of 7 games, and closed out the regular season, winning 7 of the last 8.  Everett finished the region with a 26-6 record, defeating Edmonds in three out of four and claiming the programs 3rd north region title in the past five seasons.  

Several Trojans received post season honors. Kirstyn Scott and Shayne Hoekendorf were named Second Team All-Region, Taryn Takayoshi, Emma Hansen, Ava Puaatuua, and Olivia Boures were named First Team All-Region, Alissa Hermansen was named north region pitcher of the year, and catcher Emmajoy Wise was named the north region's most valuable player.  Randy Smith and his assistants were named the north region coaching staff of the year and is the fifth time Coach Smith has won the award.

Everett entered the 16-team double elimination playoff as the #6 RPI ranked team, and drew #11 Yakima Valley, a team that had beaten Everett earlier in the year.  The Trojans went on to win that game decisively, and rallied to defeat Centralia College in extra innings to advance to the Top 6.  That set up a  thrilling 7-5 win over Walla Walla to advance Everett to the semi finals.  

The Trojans shut down #2 ranked Columbia Basin College, defeating the Hawks 3-1 but ultimately fell to Lower Columbia who completed the first ever undefeated NWAC Softball season at 48-0.

Wise, Takayoshi, Hansen, and Hermansen were named to the NWAC All-Tournament team, while Hermansen received NFCA All-American Honors. Several Trojans found themselves on the EvCC All Time record lists in various stat categories, highlighted by Emma Hansen who now has the all time career records for runs scored (128), hits (150),  and triples (14).  

Statistically this is arguably one of the best offensive teams in program history. The .406 team batting average is the third best all time, 205 walks drawn is the second most all time, and the 506 runs scored, 605 hits, 131 doubles, 29 triples, 68 stolen bases, and 454 RBI's all ranks as the most all time in Everett Community College Softball history. 

Beyond the field, the team performed outstanding in the classroom with a team cumulative GPA average of 3.60 and 10 members of the team getting onto the Academic Honor Roll.