Tennessee Softball Teammates Turned SEC Rivals Eager for Future Matchups

Summit's Audrey Cathey, a Missouri signee, looks forward to facing Tennessee signees Avary Stockwell and Halle Bailey in SEC play.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 10:04am

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Summit High School softball player Audrey Cathey, who has signed to play at the University of Missouri, is excited to face off against her longtime travel softball teammates Avary Stockwell and Halle Bailey, who have signed to play at the University of Tennessee. The trio, along with another teammate Bailee Shelton, have played together for years on the Tennessee Mojo travel team and are now set to become SEC rivals when Cathey's Tigers take on Stockwell's and Bailey's Volunteers.

Why it matters

The future matchups between these talented players will be highly anticipated, as they have developed close friendships through years of playing together. Their SEC showdowns will showcase the depth of softball talent in Tennessee and provide an exciting new chapter in their long-standing rivalries.

The details

Cathey, Bailey, Stockwell, and Shelton have all signed to play at Power 5 programs, with Cathey heading to Missouri and the others going to Tennessee. Despite ending up at competing schools, the group remains close and is eager to face off against each other at the collegiate level. Cathey and Bailey in particular have played side-by-side for years and have learned a lot from each other's skills on the field.

  • Cathey and her Tennessee-bound teammates will each vie for a spot in May's TSSAA softball state tournament.
  • Through 18 games this season, Cathey is batting .510 with 24 runs, 25 hits, six doubles, three home runs and 15 RBIs.
  • Through 10 games, Bailey is batting .654 with 19 runs, 17 hits, three triples and 12 RBIs.
  • Stockwell, the 2025 Gatorade Tennessee Player of the Year, has hit 6 home runs through 23 games this season and has been intentionally walked 8 consecutive times in her last 2 games.

The players

Audrey Cathey

A softball player at Summit High School who has signed to play at the University of Missouri.

Halle Bailey

A softball player at Alcoa High School who has signed to play at the University of Tennessee.

Avary Stockwell

A softball player at Green Hill High School who has signed to play at the University of Tennessee.

Bailee Shelton

A softball player at McNairy Central High School who has signed to play at the University of Tennessee.

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What they’re saying

“I just have so much trust in Audrey and I know that she always has my back. She's going to fight for you. She's going to do everything that she can to win a ball game. She's a very big competitor.”

— Halle Bailey

“Some schools (recruiting us) were similar, but we ended up going on different paths. I'm just super happy for her and what she's going to do at Tennessee. I know she's going to do amazing and we're still going to be best friends ... we're going to both be in the SEC, so we're going to see each other.”

— Audrey Cathey

What’s next

Cathey and her Tennessee-bound teammates will each vie for a spot in May's TSSAA softball state tournament.

The takeaway

The future SEC matchups between these talented softball players who have been longtime teammates and friends will be highly anticipated, showcasing the depth of talent in Tennessee high school softball and the competitive spirit these players share.