Navey Lindsay, a talented 2028 pitcher and shortstop who also hits at a high level, has played competitive softball since she was 8, but being from a small rural town in Utah, playing at a higher level of softball was not easy to find.

She played rec ball up until her first year of 12U, when she was first introduced to travel softball at a high level.

Taking to the game more and more at that young age, Navey began improving at a fast pace, gaining a high IQ of the game at a very young age.

Still, it wasn’t easy to play on a national level as the nearest airport was two and a half hours away and the nearest drive to a large city was four hours to Las Vegas.

As her mother Aubrey remembers, a lot of time in those early years was spent just traveling to and from events.

“In those days, we spent every weekend driving or flying to play in California, Arizona and other states.”

However, the young athlete knew she needed to be playing out of state at top events if she was going to each her goals in softball.

By the time Navey was in the eighth grade, she had already achieved recognition nationally by being ranked in the top 100 of her class and was considered as one of the top prospects on the West Coast.

The Beehive State native hit the ground running when her high school softball career started as Navey finished her freshmen year as a state champion for South Sevier (Monroe, Utah) and was the state MVP thanks to a .646 batting average with a 1.60 ERA.

In her sophomore campaign earlier this year, she was excited to continue on the success from the year before; however, towards the end of the softball season, Navey took a hard hit to the face while playing shortstop and broke her nose just three weeks before the start of the Utah state softball tournament.

Eight days after the injury, the high schooler had nose surgery done but was determined to play in the state playoffs which she did, helping her team to a 3^rd place finish and—despite missing a significant chunk of her sophomore campaign—still finished with 155 strikeouts as a pitcher while slugging six home runs at the plate.

That summer, after the up-and-down sophomore campaign, everyone close to Navey realized it was a key time for her recruiting process, and she had every intention to up her game during club competition.

However, just two weeks out from her nose surgery and after the first travel ball tournament of the season, the athlete realized her nose wasn’t fully healed, and her foot began to have issues

Navey’s mom saw that there was more going on than just the nose injury and a plan was put in place for the athlete to stop and work on healing.

“We soon realized her foot was a more serious injury,” Aubrey Lindsay recalls, “and she needed to rest mentally as well as physically.”

By the time Navey was ready to start practicing again, her foot issue continued to bother her and every time she would pitch, it became more of a problem.

“In Navey’s best interest,” her mother continues, “we decided the summer wasn’t going to be filled with travel ball tournaments, and it seemed her recruiting path may look a little different than expected. She had planned on attending several camps, but she could not perform physically so we simply had to wait for her to recover.”

The months approaching September 1^st, the first day college coaches could reach out, felt a little different than normal because Navey had chosen to play locally to keep tabs on her foot situation, knowing her performance at this point would have to be good enough.

Still, she was active in reaching out to colleges and emailed many while pushing through the foot discomfort to prepare for prospect camps.

September 1st came and in-state D1 powerhouse Brigham Young University (BYU) showed heavy interest and invited Navey to campus for an official visit.

Everything clicked on both sides and soon the Cougars extended an official offer.

“Every part of her story aligned,” her mom adds. “Getting to play close to home in Utah at a high level… it all came full circle.”

The recruiting aspect completed, Navey still has some medical hurdles to overcome.

Surgery is set for her nose, but all are confident a full recovery will be in the works to get her set for the high school season, travel ball and then, in the fall of 2028, her career in the Big 12 will begin.

*****

Here, in her own words, is Navey’s long and up-and-down softball journey that has reached a rewarding point where her future is bright indeed…

The Early Years

My mom introduced me to sports and I played volleyball with her all the time. She also always took me to the church to shoot a basketball.

When she introduced me to softball, it caught my attention way more than volleyball and basketball. I’m from a small town in Utah so it was normal to play three sports., but since the day I touched a softball, it has spoken to me in a way I can’t even describe.

For about a year I practiced, and I fell in love with the game. I wasn’t on a team quite yet, so my parents brought up starting a team for me. I had cousins and friends that I played other sports with, so my parents reached out to them too.

At a young age, my parents helped me and my four younger siblings understand that if we are going to do anything in life, we better go all in. They made it clear that if we don’t strive to be the best, we would be better off to just not do it at all so from this point on, I did so.

But softball wasn’t a job for me—I loved every minute of it in my pursuit to be the best I can.

My parents and aunt started a little 10U team that would just play in Utah. Since I can remember, I have always had the best relationship with my family, from my parents and siblings to my grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles.

I grew up a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints and still am today. With that, there has always been an amazing sense of culture in the way I grew up.          

My mom, dad, and aunt started a team called the Peppers with cute pink jerseys and we all loved each other more than I could even describe.

The culture my parents and aunt were able to create with us young kids was something not many can do. My team and I made a pact that when we got to high school, we would take state.

There were some girls in my grade and the grade above me, so we would for sure get the shot to capture a state together.

*****

The Family Starts a Club Program

My family slowly turned our one little team into a club organization in Utah, called CUSA Heat. I still had one more year in 10U at this time and, from this point on, softball was my life!

There were multiple teams from my little town called Monroe and it slowly started to become a bigger thing. I just couldn’t get enough of softball, so I joined a team out of Salt Lake City called the Utah Freakz.

I was playing for two teams at this time, and my family’s life soon became fully occupied with softball. I loved every minute of it, although I see now that it was hard on my family.

Today, I see and appreciate how my four younger siblings were so supportive even though at times they got put on the backburner.         

Soon, my mom took the head coaching job for the high school I was going to attend. I was still playing for the Heat and the Freakz, while my mom was coaching high school softball.

Life got expensive on and off the field and we ended up moving to Phoenix. My aunt that helped with CUSA Heat took the head coaching job since we were leaving.

We moved to Arizona and, at first, I was extremely sad and so was my family. A small-town family moving to a big city wasn’t easy on its own and we left so much behind.

We found a softball team for me to join, Storm National 12U – Kobasew and I began attending a charter school that was way bigger than anything I ever knew before.

We went from school to practice which was an hour away from where we live and got home at about 10 pm every night that I had practice (twice a week).

Plus, on the days I didn’t have practice and, even sometimes one the days I did, my mom was driving my brother and sister to their practices. With all my extended family being from Utah, we decided after about four months we wanted to go back home.

We moved back home and everyone I ever loved was at my house waiting to surprise us on our return—it was a moment I won’t ever forget. My goals and dreams were so big, but my heart belonged in Utah and it always has.

My mom and dad eventually were the assistant coaches under my aunt at South Sevier High School where I was eagerly waiting to attend.

*****

Junior High Years

I was in seventh grade when that summer came around and all I wanted was to play at a more competitive level.

Thankfully, I had just started my social media and that’s how I got in touch with a new team from California and was able to join Athletic Mercado 14U – Iwia/Tidd. At that time, I started playing in California and all over the country.

I played for them for a little while, and shortly afterward joined Firecracker Galicia RTY 14U. I was with them for some time and we took 3^rd place at PGF Platinum Nationals in 2024.

As my dad was working out of state, it was challenging for me to get to everything in the fall. At that time, we decided as a family to focus on my siblings because they started basketball and my sister had travel softball too, and we all wanted them to taste the opportunities I had been blessed with.

Recruiting was tough for me—not a lot of coaches got to watch me because of the little amount I played in the fall. I knew it would work out how it was supposed to, so I didn’t stress too much.

I stayed true to emailing coaches and posting on social media.

Also, where I’m from there were no trainers or people I could go to, so I had to find all the resources myself, and figure out how to get stronger, faster, and better all on my own.

Thankfully, my parents were a huge help and never truly left me on my own. Although they never begged me to do it, I was always self-motivated and had the drive to do it on my own.

After somewhat taking the fall off, I decided to play high school basketball, I was just on the freshman team, but my soon-to-be best friend Caitlin Nielson was a senior and led the school’s basketball team to a state title.

I eventually got to play high school softball with Caitlin and she soon became my role model and someone I watched closely.

When January of 2025 came around, I ended up joining TN Mojo 16U – Ramsey where head coach Ramsey Harkness was so good to my family. He allowed me to play whenever I could and I played in January with them until high school softball started in February.

*****

Starting High School With a State Title!

My first high school softball game was close to starting and my energy went towards me preparing for my first high school softball game and season.

Like I said earlier, me and my teammates from my hometown wanted to win a state championship. All the girls I ever played with were either a sophomore or a freshman with me. Caitlin and our other senior, Kinley Phelps, were our captains.

My school is 2A and our first game in that 2025 season was against a bigger 5A team. We told ourselves that we would go all out, we would love each other to the fullest, and we would have true energy, not fake energy.

Our captains held us accountable for everything we stood for and that’s where it all started.

We actually lost that first game 9-8 and we were frustrated about the defeat but looking back there was no doubt in my mind we were ready to take on any challenge.

After that first game, we won 26 in a row including ones against winning teams we wouldn’t have been able to compete with in past years.

Our captains were the purest people, they didn’t let us fade away from who we are even after tough days and they also led us to victories that felt impossible.

When the Utah State Championship Playoffs came around, we were confident going into it but still nervous. Our bus ride to state was full of emotional, heart-felt moments, and songs that still mean the world to me.

We won our first game at state 14-0 and when the second day came around, we played a good team that we had run-ruled twice and beat them 8-0.

The same day, we had the semi-final game, and I was pitching. I admit, as a freshman, I was shaking in my boots quite a bit, but trusting in my team, coaches, and captains I knew everything was going to be okay.

We were the No. 1 seed and even before the first batter came to the plate, everyone was chanting and screaming… and I was struggling to calm my thoughts. As the game went on, we kept a lead for most of the game against Duchesne, the team we were playing.

They got a lead in the 5^th inning and when the 7^th came around, we were down 6-5.

I was the leadoff hitter and stroked a single in the 5-6 hole. Our next batter flied out before Caitlin came up and hit it deep to right field for a triple, driving me in.

There was one out, it was a tie game, and our third batter hit a ground ball past second and we won. To be completely honest, that game was more emotional than any, and meant more to me and I have zero clue why.

But at that moment I knew we were going to win state (it would be the second in school history, the first was in 2004).

The next day we played in the championship, and it was a good game. Cailtin threw out two girls catching and I started at shortstop which was a key memory for me.

I closed the game pitching and being able to hug my best friend right after I pitched my last pitch to her means more than I can describe.

Caitlin is the strongest, toughest, most brave, caring, competitive, inspiring, respectable and humble person I have ever met in my life. Without her example, I don’t know who I would turn to or look at for advice and inspiration.

I was named the Tournament and Region MVP, and Caitlin was named the overall 2A state MVP!

*****

Losing the “Why” 

After high school softball was over, I couldn’t come down from that high for a while, because I couldn’t believe the season I just had. It was everything I ever dreamed of and more, but it happened so fast I couldn’t even comprehend it.

After that high school championship season was over, Caitlin—my childhood best friend that played with me since the very start—moved and no one will ever understand the hurt and pain that came with that.

Time went on and I continued playing club to work on what my role and purpose was on in the travel ball world. I also missed my high school team.

As some of you know, high school softball and club are two different worlds and I had a hard time making the adjustment from high school to club–not just physically but mentally and emotionally as well.

The culture my high school team had was unmatched and rare and I questioned why I didn’t feel satisfied with club softball. I figured out, I was built for a different culture—not just any culture, by a culture full of love and heart… a culture of true family.

It’s hard to find that anywhere, especially on teams with players that are from all over the nation. I only knew their names and position and, I’ll admit, I should have been better, I should have tried to bring more culture to the club world (although I knew I always brought some kind of culture, for it was how I was raised).

Travel ball was a must, though, if I wanted to play college softball. I played for about half the Summer of 2025 although I was playing with no “why” and, if you play with no “why,” you will find you get lost easily and fast.

Finally, I decided to take a break with my mission being to figure out what softball meant to me.

The winter of 2025 came around, and I joined Lady Dukes 16U – Mayfield team. I also had to decide if I was playing basketball again, which was a really tough decision for me. My dream was to college softball and, with the break I had taken, I needed to be back in softball mode.

I played softball until the high school season started again, pitching nearly every day, training and lifting—it was all I could think of and all I wanted and thought I needed to do.

*****

Sophomore Season… & A Nasty On-Field Injury

My next season of high school came around in the Spring (2026) and we did not have the same girls as the year before. It was a pretty emotional beginning of the year, trying to find our team value and goals.

I claimed my goal for that season was to take state again, while thinking nothing would ever beat that goal, and we weren’t as successful as the previous. We had to fight like hell for every win we had.

Then, halfway through the season, my arm started really hurting. It was way overused pitching the majority of games and going home to practice even after practicing. I was thinking that the more I gave to softball, the more it would give to me and I was hurting.

I decided to rest my arm so I could be ready to go eventually. I had more than enough faith in the other pitchers; knew we were going to be OK. A week and a half went by and we had a double header about four and a half hours away from home.

In the middle of the first game I was at shortstop, I went to lay out for a ball, and it took a hop and busted my nose. I immediately was taken to the hospital where the doctors told me that my nose was completely broken… and I would have to have surgery.

There were 11 more games until state, and I missed all of them.

I had surgery done a week before state with the recovery being projected to be four to six weeks. I rested all week before state and tried to accept that I wasn’t going to be able to play at state.

But I couldn’t accept that— something in me was not letting down and, although I was nervous to field a ball, I was not afraid to pitch. I sat with some feelings and before even telling my parents that I was intending to play, I made a deal with myself to just give everything I had.

*****

Going To State & Rediscovering the “Why”

Driving up to state, I was nothing but excited and grateful I was able to feel mentally ready to play. Yes, there were nerves involved and I still had black eyes and my face was swollen, but I was ready to get back on the field once again.

My first game back was probably my best game of my whole season. I played to my fullest and, although it was painful to play, it was not as painful as watching from the dugout.

In a memory I’ll have forever, there was a moment at the state tournament that filled my soul with warmth as my “why” was found again! I knew at that moment that softball had done more than give me something to do… it had given me hope when hope was lost.

Yes, it had given me moments of weakness, but it has also given me more moments of strength. Softball has made me extraordinary and nothing else could have shaped me into the person I am today.

Softball may be just a sport but the lessons, confidence, respect, love, honor, loyalty, compassion, strength, faith, family, leadership, health and values that softball has given me makes it more than just a sport in my life.

Softball has helped me grow a testimony with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, stronger than my young mind can take on. Now I grow closer to my Lord and Savior every time I touch a softball, for I play through God and I share my qualities and blessings through the game of softball.

That is my “why.”

About two weeks after state softball, I started traveling to play travel softball with the Lady Dukes. Our first game was a qualifier, and we took second place so we qualified for Alliance.

We flew so it was really hard on my sinuses. It had only been like three weeks since my surgery and I felt like since I played so soon, recovery was slower.

I was still in pain playing for most of the beginning of summer, but I continued playing, while I’m still recovering because it was the year I could start getting recruited.

I was stressing a little bit and was continuing to email and post on social media but I was nervous that wasn’t enough. Because I wanted to get back in the hang of how to play sooner, I started playing games in Utah when I wasn’t with the Lady Dukes.

*****

A Foot Injury Too?!?

At this time, I was playing lots of softball plus practicing and lifting but ended up hurting my foot too! Honestly, I was afraid to go see a doctor knowing they were probably going to tell us something we didn’t want to hear.

Also, with September 1st so close, we knew there was no possibility for breaks so I played a couple more tournaments in Utah before going to all the big tournaments like Colorado Sparkler and Alliance Nationals.

However, I ended up not going to either because my foot was so hurt. I continued emailing coaches, letting them know I was injured. I was frustrated, nervous, and stressed and, admittedly, forgetting my Heavenly Father has a plan for me.

We ended up going to the doctor a few days before September 1st because we wanted to have something to say to the coaches about where I am at. The doctors told me I had a bunion—I know right?—so silly, but the only way to fix it is surgery which we didn’t consider.

The doctor told us that: “Even if you get one percent better, it’s better than not at all.” Basically, he was saying I just had to tough it out.

*****

A Wonderful Recruiting Surprise on Sept. 1

September 1 came around and my very first call was from BYU, and I was in complete shock.

“They have never even seen me play before!” I thought to myself.

However, the coach who called said they really wanted to get to know me and invited me on an official visit!

I told the coach about my foot and he completely understood. After my call with them I was emotional, never thinking that the college which was only two hours away from my home would call me.

I have always been a BYU fan, and I am a proud member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The comfort and feeling I got after that call was a feeling I hadn’t felt since I was baptized at the age of 8.

It felt like an opportunity for me to start over, and this soon become more than just about softball. I had always played softball every Sunday and it was hard to get to church. I had to choose between my softball dream and Sunday church which I thrived on.

A week later I went on my visit to BYU and loved every minute of it. I had never been given so many hugs from random people in my life… let’s just say BYU is special, and that’s an understatement!

My soul had been touched by the culture they have created there. It reminded me of my values religiously and my reason on this earth. Someone said while I was there that the second-best way to spread the gospel to this world other than a mission was to be a winner, because people notice winnerts.

I knew at that moment that this opportunity to go to BYU was everything I ever dreamed of and more!

I have always wanted to win a national championship and at that moment I told myself and Heavenly Father that I will change this program, not just to win a national championship but to change lives through Christ.

At the end of my visit, I had a meeting with the BYU coaches and we agreed that the next weekend when I was pitching, they would come watch me. I was still injured but I had to push through just a little longer.

I had things to prove and that whole week was tough—I was an emotional wreck, trying to push through so much pain. I was doubting myself and I had no idea how I was supposed to showcase my true self being this hurt.

*****

“You Are Exactly Where You Need to Be”

I prayed and prayed, asking God to help me feel like myself and take away the pain. I had a small still voice tell me: “Navey, you are exactly where you need to be.” At that moment, I told myself that whatever happened, that weekend was meant to be.

I gained a feeling of peace and happiness. My Heavenly Father believed in me and would guide me to where I was meant to be. Friday was the day!

We arrived at the fields, and it just started pouring and hailing. I wanted to be so mad but in the back of my head I just had this feeling: “Everything is going to be okay.”

Eventually, the event got canceled and we drove home.

However, BYU called me on my way home and asked if I could make it to their prospect camp the next day. I said yes, feeling so excited.

One thing about me is that I love pitching but I don’t want to be a pitcher only—I want to be in the game at all times as I am a shortstop, too, and was excited to showcase that side of my game as well.

I had never in my life felt so ready and I felt I didn’t need more focus or practice.

How can you explain to someone about going from being completely stressed, in pain, and nervous one day to being relaxed, ready, and satisfied another?

My Heavenly Father had blessed me, and I will never be able to thank Him enough for knowing the feelings of failure, sadness, pain, anxiety, etc. because He then blessed me with the contrasting feelings of relief, health, happiness, and strength.

I performed in front of BYU at the camp and, although I wasn’t at all perfect, I was truly me to my core that whole day. If I failed, I handled it how I do so and if I succeeded, I also handled it how I do so.

That whole day I felt that every situation a college coach wants to see happened to me and it couldn’t have gone more perfect!

I was able to meet with the coaches again and committed to the school of my dreams, never knowing I could have my softball dream while having a blessing from God at the same time.

At the end of the meeting the coaches told me all they needed from me is to do whatever I needed to do to be healthy. At that moment I was so fulfilled—I had got everything I ever worked for physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

*****

God Has Your Plan All Written Out

I truly believe there is a school for everyone and it’s not always about how it looks. Go somewhere you belong, where you can grow in other aspects of life and not just softball.

Remember your journey is yours and yours only. Be true to who you are, and rely on your Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, for they are always there for you.

Lastly, let me share that—more than ever in my life—I found that no matter how long it takes, God has my plan all written out.

I have actually been able to see some of my life get put together recently.

My journey and life are starting to make sense, and I am full of faith and love for my Heavenly Father for I am about to serve a mission while I attend Brigham Young University to play softball.

I know there is a reason I felt like I belonged there.

My testimony is unbelievably strong, and it will impact other people.

Although sometimes I get curious, I know and understand that I am not supposed to understand everything all at once, but I will serve my Lord by doing what I love most, being where I love most, and being with who I love most.