Titans Softball and the Titans Athletics department invite the campus community to join a candlelight vigil in honor of former student-athlete Taylor Dockins on Wednesday, June 5, at 7:30 p.m. on the softball field.
Dockins (1999-2024) passed away on Sunday, June 2, after battling Stage 4 liver cancer throughout her collegiate career.
“She was one of the most fierce Titans to ever wear the uniform and fought cancer the way she played the game,” said Kelly Ford, head coach. “To my humble warrior in heaven…Taylor, we were all so blessed to be on that field with you, know you in the special way we did. We will carry her spirit with us and honor her every time we put on the Titan uniform.”
Friends, family, former teammates and the greater Titans community are encouraged to join Athletics at Anderson Family Field to hear from guest speakers, view photos of Dockins’ career, and engage in a moment of silence near the pitcher’s circle, where she once threw the 57th no-hitter in program history against San Diego (Feb. 22, 2018) after missing a full month of games due to chemotherapy treatments and doctor appointments.
Dockins joined the Titans program as a freshman in 2018. That year, she made 18 appearances in the circle with 12 starts and finished the season with a 7-4 record. In 78.2 innings, Dockins posted a 3.29 ERA with seven complete games, including two shutouts. Following her five-inning no-hitter performance, she was named Big West Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 26. She made her NCAA Regional debut facing one batter and striking her out in the season’s final game.
In 2019, Dockins appeared in 22 games in the circle, making 15 starts. She recorded three complete games, one of which was a shutout against Weber State on March 8. She finished the season 6-5 with a 2.57 ERA, which ranked second on the team. Dockins struck out 35 batters in 68 innings of work and pitched in both NCAA Regional games, where she allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits in five innings.
After missing her junior and senior seasons due to medical reasons, she remained a key part of the Titans Athletics community by co-hosting the Titans Sports Network’s Preview Show in 2023. The same year, she also served as the play-by-play and color analyst for Titans Softball home games.
“We are truly better people and Titans because Tay was in our lives,” Athletic Director Jim Donovan said. “She never complained or questioned her struggle — she just fought so very hard day in and day out. Tay is an incredible, remarkable and amazing reminder to all of us of the power of belief.”