Leah Francis completed her fifth season as a member of the Western Washington University coaching staff in 2025, having joined the Vikings in 2020 as a volunteer coach. Prior to WWU, Francis had a highly successful 15‑year tenure as head softball coach at Bellevue College, where she amassed a 542‑152 record (.781 winning percentage), led the program to 15 consecutive Northwest Athletic Conference Championship Tournament appearances, and earned multiple regional and national coaching staff honors. Known for helping her student‑athletes excel on and off the field, her Bellevue teams produced numerous All‑Americans, regional players/pitchers of the year, and all‑conference and all‑academic honorees.
As a collegiate player, Francis spent four years at the University of Washington (1995–1998) as an outfielder, competing in three College World Series and earning a spot on the Pacific‑10 Conference Championship Team while serving as team captain in her senior season. Off the diamond, she has significant administrative experience, serving for nearly two decades at the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association as Director of Finance and Operations, overseeing budget management, revenue generation, fiscal controls, and event operations. Francis holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Accounting from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in Physical Education and Athletic Administration from Seattle Pacific University. A product of North Mason High School, she is a member of both the North Mason and Kitsap County Sports Halls of Fame.
