The Western Washington women’s basketball program will add a Clark County transfer as former Prairie High School standout Brooke Walling officially joined the Vikings, the school announced Thursday.
She will be immediately eligible for the 2021-22 season. And due to the COVID-19 pandemic and NCAA legislation, Walling will still have three years of eligibility remaining.
“I am super excited to join the basketball program at Western Washington,” Walling said in statement. “The culture here is truly amazing and I instantly fell in love with the school and city of Bellingham. The coaching staff and players were all so welcoming and I can’t wait for this upcoming season with the program.”
Walling, who led Prairie to the 2018-19 3A girls basketball state championship, announced in late March she was planning to transfer from Fresno State.
The 6-foot-3 post played in all 32 games during her freshman year with the Bulldogs. The former 3A state player of the year was ninth in the Mountain West Conference in blocks.
This past season, Walling played in 24 of 28 games and started eight. She averaged 3.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
“We are excited Brooke has decided to become a part of our Western family,” WWU head coach Carmen Dolfo said in a statement. “Her length, her ability to play both inside and out and her experience at a high level will enable her to be an impact player for us right away.”
Walling was twice named All-Region Player of the Year by The Columbian, was a two-time All-State selection and two-time 3A Greater St. Helens League MVP. As a junior she was voted to the 3A all-state first team after averaging 17.6 points per game. Over her final three high school seasons Prairie combined to go 66-11.
WWU is coming off a perfect abbreviated 6-0 season in 2020-21, after going 22-9 overall and 14-6 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play in the last full season in 2019-20.
The Vikings were set to compete in the NCAA Division II West Regional Championships in March 2020 before the season was halted due to the pandemic.
Walling is the fifth member of the WWU basketball recruiting class that is set to debut on WECU Court in Carver Gym in the fall. Dolfo previously announced the program additions of guards Hailey Hiatt (Arlington), Eden Perry (Roseville, Calif.) and Jamie Johnson (Ferndale), and post player Truitt Reilly (Silverton, Ore.).
Walling will also join fellow Clark County connection Mason Oberg, a Union High grad. Oberg suffered a knee injury and did not play in any of WWU’s six games. The Vikings hope to have her back on the court at some point next season.
