One of the most beloved softball figures in the last decade, Taylor Dockins—a record-setting high school pitcher at Norco (Calif.) High and the 2016-2017 Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year—passed away from a rare form of cancer.

The news was released by several sources including from the college program, Cal State Fullerton, she competed for:

We are saddened to hear the passing of Titan alum Taylor Dockins. Taylor was truly an angel, a sister, a humble warrior and remains a Titan forever. We will carry her spirit with us and honor her every time we put on a Titans uniform. #TusksUp | #PlayLikeTay pic.twitter.com/PXHHvxMLrs

— Titans Softball (@Fullerton_SB) June 3, 2024

In her early years in club softball, Taylor won a PGF National Championship with Team Mizuno-Campbell 14U in 2013 and an ASA National Championship with the 10U Firecrackers-Quarles team in 2010.

In the Summer of 2016, Taylor, a Class of 2017 pitcher for the So Cal Choppers-Fausett club team, was in Colorado playing in the Boulder IDT when she fell ill.

On Friday July 1^st, Taylor’s mother Debi and Coach Dean Fausett, head coach for the Choppers 18U team, rushed Taylor to the emergency room as she was writhing in severe pain.

That night Taylor was diagnosed with a possible cancerous tumor in her liver and a spot on her lung.

Quickly she was rushed into surgery and the tumor was successfully removed and sent out for biopsy.

In August of 2016, I (Brentt Eads) was working at FloSoftball and asked Taylor to tell her story in her own words… Click HERE to read what she wrote.

The athlete was able to return to Norco High for her senior campaign in 2017 and set a California state record with 33 straight wins and finished her prep career as the CIF – Southern Section leader in wins with 108.

Capping an amazing return to the fields, Taylor was honored to win the Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year award on June 5, 2017, and found out in a fun way as softball great Jennie Finch surprised Taylor at the young athlete’s favorite coffee shop with the award.

Here’s a video of that happy moment:

The rare form of liver cancer Taylor contracted went into submission, but it never totally went away and she was hospitalized several times in the subsequent years and, sadly, on Sunday (June 2, 2024), Taylor passed.

Within the last year, a wonderful video covering Taylor’s journey was released titled “Anchor of My Soul… Taylor recapped the story in her own words and gets emotional talking about her religious perspective of her situation and her relationship with her parents, Rick and Debi Dockins.

It is very emotional and powerful and represented the beauty of Taylor’s soul and the always present radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes that lifted up everyone she met.

The video ends:

“Cancer does not win if we die. It wins if we fail to cherish Christ.”

On behalf of everyone at Line Drive Media, we extend our love and prayers to the Dockins’ family and wish them solace but also the ability to smile whenever this special young person is remembered…

… for her softball successes, sure, but most importantly for the light and love she was in the lives of everyone who knew Taylor.

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Softball