Capping a season and career for the ages, softball star Tayah Kelley has been singled out as Linfield's 2023-24 Female Athlete of the Year for the third straight year.
 
Kelley enjoyed spectacular capstone campaign in 2024, leading the Wildcats to the NCAA Division III Championship tournament, McMinnville Regional and Super Regional titles, as well as the Northwest Conference regular season and NWC Tournament titles.
 
This spring, she lead all Division III pitchers with 32 wins in the circle while posting four saves and a 1.51 ERA. She limited opposing hitters to a .184 batting average. Kelley played a major role in Linfield's milestone record of 44 consecutive victories.
 
Over the course of her career, Kelley set all-time program records in total innings pitched (772.1), ERA (1.96), wins (111), shutouts (31), strikeouts (951) and ranks among the top five in saves (8) and opponent batting average (.187).
 
This spring, she twice was honored nationally as the NFCA's Pitcher of the Week and earned NWC Softball Pitcher Student-Athlete of the Week honors five times, bringing her career total of weekly recognitions to 20.
 
In 33 starts this season, the Myrtle Creek, Ore., native led the NWC in strikeouts (293), complete games (28), shutouts (9) and innings pitched (217.2). She led in the nation in strikeouts and ranks inside the top five nationally in total appearances with 32 and complete games.
 
With Kelley pitching the majority of innings, the Wildcats captured the program's 19th NWC regular season title and 12th NWC Tournament crown. Linfield went on to reach the NCAA Finals for the eighth time in program history with Kelley pitching all but four innings of the Wildcats' 11 NCAA playoff games.