Pate Cathey had been through a lot as she begins her fourth year on the UTEP softball team and she's come out on the other side as a new season dawns.
The senior — or COVID junior as she plans on coming back next year — middle infielder went through a coaching change after her freshman year, the COVID season of 2020 and some team struggles last year as the Miners laid the way to a brighter future.
Through all that, Cathey emerged as an undisputed leader for a team that opens its season Thursday at the UTEP Invitational with a pair of games against Idaho State.