Career Highs
Games started (season): 52 - 2021 & 2023
Games played (season): 52 - 2021 & 2023
Hits (game/season): 3 - Nine times
// 61 - 2022
Runs (game/season): 3 - Eight times // 40 - 2022
RBI (game/season): 5 - Twice // 48 - 2022
At-Bats (game/season): 7 on Apr. 26, 2023 at Samford
// 157 - 2022
Doubles (game/season): 2 - Four times // 15 - 2022
Triples (game/season): 1 - Twice // 1 - 2020 & 2023
Home runs (game/season): 2 - Four times
// 19 - 2022
Walks (game/season): 2 - Nine times
// 25 - 2023
As a Graduate Senior (2023)
» ASUN Preseason All-Conference
» Extra Inning Softball's ASUN Preseason Player of the Year
» Extra Inning Softball's No. 87 player in the country entering 2023
» Extra Inning Softball's No. 7 third baseman in the country entering 2023
» ASUN Player of the Week (Mar. 13)
» ASUN All-Academic Team
Cates started and played in all 52 games for KSU in 2023 ... posted three multi-hit games including going 2-for-3 in KSU's 7-0 win over Mercer on Feb. 15 with two runs scored and one RBI ... went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one triple vs. North Dakota (Mar. 10) ... posted a 3-for-4 day with three RBI and two doubles against Toledo (Mar. 12), marking back-to-back games with three RBI and two doubles in each game ... named ASUN Player of the Week on Mar. 13 for the third time in her KSU career, tying Courtney Sutter for the most in KSU history ... tied Sharon Swanson for second on the KSU DI career home run list on Mar. 19 with her 44th career homer vs. Austin Peay ... set the KSU Division I consecutive starts record with her 164th-straight start on Mar. 22 at No. 17/16 UGA ... she went 2-for-2 against the Bulldogs with an infield single and a double to right-center ... recorded a 2-for-4 day with one RBI and one run scored ... posted a two RBI double to lift the Owls past Lipscomb on Apr. 22 ... went 2-for-7 in KSU's 13-inning win over Samford on Apr. 26 with one run scored and one RBI ... had a 3-for-3day with one walk, one run scored and two RBI in the Owls' 7-1 win over Bellarmine on Apr. 30 ... went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI including a homer in her final at-bat as an Owl in KSU's 9-4 win over FGCU on May 7.
As a Senior (2022)
» ASUN First Team All-Conference
» ASUN All-Academic Team
» ASUN Player of the Week (2/28)
» ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team
» CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team
» CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team
» NFCA All-Region Second Team
Started in all 51 games for the Owls this season... Led the team in home runs (19) for the second-straight season and set the KSU Division I single-season record for homers, slugging percentage (.847) and total bases (133)... Also led the team in batting average (.389), OPS (1.280), runs scored (40), hits (61), doubles (15), on-base percentage (.433) and tied for the team lead with 11 stolen bases... Had two multi-homer games, including one against Jacksonville State in the ASUN tournament on May 12... Hit walk-off home runs against Georgia State (Feb. 25) and Jacksonville State (Mar. 19)...
As a Junior (2021)
» ASUN First Team All-Conference
» ASUN All-Tournament Team
» ASUN All-Academic Team
» ASUN Player of the Week (3/29)
» ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team
Led the team in home runs, Cates appeared in 52 games this season … In her 146 at-bats, she scored 24 runs on 33 hits … Logged five doubles and finished with a .568 slugging percentage … She finished second in the ASUN with 15 home runs and 41 RBIs … Recorded 49 put outs, 89 assists and finished with a .890 fielding percentage … Helped turn five of the Owls 14 double plays … Recorded a grand slam against FGCU in the ASUN Conference Semifinals (5/13) … Named ASUN Player of the Week following her performance in five games against Tennessee and North Alabama (3/29).
As a Sophomore (2020)
Led KSU with a 1.139 OPS and a .714 slugging mark ... tied for the lead with eight doubles, four homers, and 22 RBI ... Third on the team with 28 hits, 70 at-bats and 18 runs ... Fourth on the team with a .400 average ... started all 25 games ... had an impressive opening weekend, recording four runs on six hits over four games ... batted .667 in those games and also got three RBIs ... scored a season-high three times and had two hits vs. SEMO (2/14) ... season-high three hits vs. URI (2/21) ... had her first of three, three-RBI games vs. Marshall (2/22) ... ended the season on a three-game hit and RBI streak.
As a Freshman (2019)
Appeared in 37 games, earning 28 starts ... split time between second and third base ... recorded 13 hits, including a season high two hits at Chattanooga (2/16) where she logged two RBIs and her first career double ... tallied nine RBIs and nine runs scored ... logged a career-high three RBIs against Northern Illinois (2/22), recording a two-run home run, the first of her career ... added home runs against North Alabama (4/20) and Georgia Southern (4/24) ... successfully stole a base in her only attempt of the year against Western Carolina (3/2) ... scored nine runs ... recorded 54 putouts and 60 assists ... helped turn eight double plays.
Prior to KSU
A four-year letter winner at Cherokee High School in Canton, Ga. ... concluded prep career as the Warriors' career record holder in home runs (23), triples (14), slugging percentage (.693) and RBIs (149) ... named to the Georgia Dugout All-State Team after establishing school single-season records for home runs (13) and slugging percentage (.921) as a senior ... also garnered Region 4AAAAAAA first team accolades ... 2016 Region 4AAAAAAA and
Cherokee Tribune All-County Player of the Year, and all-state as a junior ... an All-American USA Elite Select honoree ... totaled a single-season school record 50 RBIs en route to earning team Most Valuable Player and Slugger awards ... an academic scholar-athlete ... all-state honorable mention,
Cherokee Tribune All-County and first team all-region selection as a sophomore ... also honored with MVP and Slugger awards ... Cherokee High's Rookie of the Year as a freshman ... high school coach is former Kennesaw State softball player
Tonya Carlisle.
Personal
Born February 19, 2000 in Canton, Ga. ... a native of Canton, Ga. ... Attended Cherokee High School in Canton, Ga. ... daughter of Matt and Kate Cates ... has a sister named Courtney ... played with Georgia Power Tuñón Demarini Gold club team and was named 2014 and 2017 Offensive Player of the Year ... competed in the PGF Nationals, ASA Nationals and Triple Crown Nationals ... has not declared a major.
