Bio

Still recognized as the most feared hitter in the history of the Cowley College softball program, Kashilia Young will return home to be inducted into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame. The ceremony will be held Saturday, February 6, 2021.

Young helped lead the Ark City Bulldogs to the Kansas Class 5A State Championship in 2006 and 2007. She was a three-time All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail League catcher and was named First-Team All-State her junior and senior seasons.

After high school, she chose to play softball at Cowley.

“To put it simply, it just felt right,” Young said. “It allowed me to play softball for one of the top JUCO's in the country and for one of the greatest coaches I have ever had the pleasure to play for and learn from. It also allowed my parents, who are my biggest fans to continue to support my endeavors game in and game out as they have done since I was little. The choice in my opinion was easy.”

She was named the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division Freshman of the Year and a First Team All-Conference selection at catcher during her first season at the school.

When then head coach, Ed Hargrove recruited and signed Kashilia he knew she was a player that would help continue the program’s tradition of winning. However, she produced way beyond his expectations.  “She just exploded early in her freshman year to become one of the top two power hitters in the nation,” Hargrove said.

Cowley finished the 2008 season with a record of 42-10. During that season, Young put together one of the most dominating season’s in Cowley history as she set school records with a .537 batting average, 29 home runs, 90 RBIs, and 75 runs scored.

Young teamed with her former high school battery mate and power-pitcher Jacey Juden to make a formidable one-two punch that helped Cowley finish just one win shy of a school-record for victories in a season as the Lady Tiger softball team ended the 2009 season with a record of 52-7.

“Jacey and I practically grew up on the softball field together. From league to travel ball and eventually high school through college, she has always been MY pitcher,” Young said. “We are two highly competitive people and have been fortunate to have careers that aligned for several years. We both have a deep love for softball and have developed a genuine and close friendship throughout the years. To this day, there’s still no one I’d rather go to battle on the softball field with.”

The duo helped Cowley captured a sixth straight Jayhawk East title and advance to the NJCAA Division II National Championships where they went 3-2 and finished in a tie for fifth place.

Young would finish one homer shy of her school-record set her freshman season and finished her Cowley career with an astounding 57 round trippers.

“She basically hit one home run every other game, finishing second in the nation as a freshman and leading the nation as a sophomore,” Hargrove said. “She was a model of consistency as she batted over .500 both years with lots of intentional walks mixed in. Her offense over shadowed her defense, but she was a better than average defensive player behind the plate for us.”

After Cowley, young signed to play softball at NCAA Division II West Virginia Wesleyan College. As a member of the Bobcats, she was twice named First-Team All-WVIAC and was the WVIAC Most Valuable Player as well as Regional MVP as a senior.

Young ended up breaking her middle finger on her throwing hand in the first game of her junior season. Instead of sitting out the season, she showed her coach she could play in the outfield and the rest was history.

She helped the Lady Bobcats capture back-to-back WVIAC Conference Championships and set the conference’s single season home run record with 19 in her senior season. The Bobcats lost in the NCAA Atlantic Region tournament and finished the year with an overall record of 48-8.

Young received her degree in exercise science and since graduation has been living her dream of working in the medical field in Saint Augustine, FL. She is currently employed at Outset Medical, a startup dialysis company.

She is engaged to be married and has two children, Jaiden (10) and Aleyah (8).

“I enjoy spending time with family, friends and my two cats,” Young said. “I also like playing Call of Duty when time permits. Eventually I hope to get some more traveling in.”

Young looks back fondly on her time at Cowley and the opportunity to play for Hall of Fame coach Ed Hargrove.

“How do you put into words what it's like to play for the winningest coach in NJCAA history,” Young said. “I’m not sure you can. It’s beyond special. The knowledge and passion that Coach Ed has for the game of softball is unmatched and his record speaks for itself. I am honored to have had the opportunity to play for him. I can’t thank him enough. My experience playing for the Lady Tigers was nothing short of amazing. I had the opportunity to play for Ed and alongside some very talented softball players who pushed me to be the best version of myself.”

Hargrove said when Young graduated from Cowley in 2009 it was obvious she would be a no-brainer for the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame.

“Her team leading statistics for two years in addition to her being named First-Team All-American twice made the decision to nominate her very easy,” Hargrove said.

Young is looking forward to returning to her hometown of Arkansas City and to be inducted into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame.

“It's surreal. To be selected for the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame for playing the sport I love, I honestly have no words,” Young said. “I am truly humbled and honored. Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way. I am beyond grateful!”