The Beecher High School Athletic Hall of Fame Commission is pleased to announce Ashley (Shearer) Gocal as a member of the 2022 Hall of Fame Class. A 2004 graduate of BHS, Ashley was a major piece of the foundation that helped catapult Beecher softball’s success over the next two decades.

Ashley was a multisport athlete in high school where she was a key member of the volleyball team for four years, where she was recognized by the Kankakee Daily Journal as an All-Area Honorable Mention performer in 2004. When she wasn’t playing volleyball she was establishing herself as one of the premier softball pitchers in the Chicagoland area. Success in the circle came early on in Ashley’s career for the Ladycats. Her freshman and sophomore year she was named first team All River Valley Conference as well as first team All-Area by the Kankakee Daily Journal. Her sophomore year she earned RVC player of the year as she helped lead Beacher to a then school record 22 wins and the program’s first ever regional championship.

In Ashley’s junior season she helped the Ladycats to another regional title and a sectional championship game appearance. She finished the year with a 16-3 record, 0.44 ERA, and 146 strikeouts. She was named RVC player of the year, Daily Journal All-Area, and selected to the 3rd team All-State by the Illinois Coaches Association.

In Ashley's final campaign for the Ladycats, she helped bring the softball program to new heights. The team finished with a 36-3 record and the school's first state championship in any sport. Ashley starred in the circle all season long with a 23-2 record, a 0.71 ERA, and 179 strikeouts. She earned victories in all 3 state games for the Ladycats in 2004, including the state championship game vs Warrensburg-Latham.

Ashley’s accolades in her final year included: First team All RVC, RVC Player of the year, first team Daily Journal All-Area, IHSA All-Tournament Team, 2nd team All-State Illinois Coaches Association, Honorable Mention All-State Chicago Tribune.

After high school, Ashley continued her pitching career at St. Xavier University. Ashley started 49 career games for the Cougars and compiled a 28-18 record with a 2.67 ERA and 11 complete game shutouts. In 2006 she was named to the CCAC All-Tournament team and in April 2007 she was named NAIA national pitcher of the week.