KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan University softball team and head coach Jenny Rohn announced the right-handed pitcher Kailey O'Connor to the program's class of 2023.
 
A graduate of Burlingame High School, O'Connor was a three-sport athlete and lettered in both softball and basketball. As a freshman, she batted .453 at the plate, pitched a 1.85 ERA, and struck out a total of 95 batters. Named a CSS All-League First Team selection and MVP, O'Connor lowered her ERA the following season to 1.26 and batted .380 to earn All-League Honors. In her junior campaign, she struck out 23 hitters and blasted three home runs before the season was cut short. 
 
O'Connor appeared in 24 games for Saint Mary's College, with three starts she went 1-1 in the circle. Her 32.1 innings pitched were third most on the pitching staff. O'Connor showcased three outings on the season where she didn't allow an earned run, including a perfect 1.2 innings against eventual NCAA Tournament participant LMU. O'Connor also contributed at the plate, making five appearances.
 
In her second year, the San Bruno, California native led the Gaels with 16 starts and tied for the team lead with 26 appearances. Despite a 5-12 record, O'Connor maintained a solid 3.34 earned run average over 109 innings. She pitched five complete games, including a shutout against BYU, securing Saint Mary's College's first-ever series win over the Cougars. O'Connor had notable performances and tossed three-straight complete games with wins against Utah Tech and Hawaii. In her latest campaign, she achieved a career-best of seven strikeouts in a relief appearance against UC Davis.