Bio

Feared hitter heading into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame

Known as one of the most difficult hitters to strike out, former Cowley College softball player Breayle (Tackett) Shelton will be recognized for her stellar play by being inducted into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame.

Shelton grew up with a family that loved playing, coaching, and umpiring softball.

“When I was younger, everyone knew me as the kid in the playpen behind the dugout,” Shelton said.

She went on to attend Winfield High School, where she was a four-year letterman in softball and basketball. She was also a three-year letterman in volleyball and one year letterman in golf.

However, her true love was softball, where she earned First Team All-AVCTL honors each of her four years at the school. Her solid play helped Winfield High School capture the 2005 Class 5A State Championship.

She chose to continue her playing career just down the road in Arkansas City by playing softball for the Cowley College Lady Tigers and legendary head coach Ed Hargrove.

“Getting the opportunity to play for the winningest coach and continue the tradition of winning was a huge part of why I chose to play at Cowley,” Shelton said. “I loved the atmosphere along with Coach Ed but most of all, I am very family oriented, so I wanted to stay close to home, and it just felt right.”

In her first year at Cowley, Shelton helped Cowley to a record of 42-10 and a Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division title. During her freshman season, she set the school record for doubles in a season (30) and fewest strikeouts (2) in a minimum of 150 at-bats.

“Breayle is one of the most consistent hitters I ever coached at Cowley,” Hargrove said.

In year two in the program, Shelton helped the Tigers achieve more than 50 wins for just the third time in program history as Cowley finished 52-7. Cowley won another conference title and this time, added a region title and fifth-place finish at the national tournament.

“My experience at Cowley was nothing short of amazing, to say the least,” Shelton said. “I enjoyed the opportunity to play for coach Ed, along with all the girls on the team. What made us successful was the connections we had with each other. The knowledge and passion coach Ed has for the game of softball are unreal. I am so honored to have had the opportunity to play for him. He always believed in me no matter the situation.”

Shelton will be the third player from the 2009 team to be inducted into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame, following Jacey Juden and Kashilia Young.

“The talent that our team had was unbelievable, and coach Ed was able to put it all together for us, which truly shows how great of a coach he is,” Shelton said.

Shelton still holds the record for doubles in a season and a career (52). Her .489 batting average and 142 runs batted in rank second all-time, while she is in the top 10 in several other offensive categories.

The All-American also played all four infield positions and committed only four errors in 785 chances. To top it off, she also served as the team’s emergency pitcher and won 13 games on the mound during her Lady Tiger career.

“I knew Breayle was a good player, but she exceeded all expectations I had for her from a coach/recruiter perspective,” Hargrove said.

After Cowley, she went on to attend Emporia State University, and the first baseman batted .320 during the 2010 season.

After College, she began playing with a Women’s Slow Pitch softball team named Bryant Express out of Arkansas, which traveled to many different states. In 2017 Shelton was classified as a USSSA Women’s Slow Pitch Class A softball player, which was the highest level of women’s softball in the world at that time. 

She and her husband, Clinton, have one child, Ender, born on March 20, 2022. Shelton has been employed at the Winfield Correctional Facility since 2010 and has been an assistant softball coach for Winfield High School since 2018. In 2020, she was named the Non-Uniformed Employee of the Year at the Winfield Correctional Facility.

Getting ready to join her former coach (Ed Hargrove) and teammates Jacey Juden and Kashilia Young in the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame is something Shelton thought she could only dream of.

“I am completely honored to be a part of such an amazing group of people. I think I am still in shock,” Shelton said. “I never thought this would ever happen to me. I still remember walking through the Hall of Fame Room when I came for a college visit and thinking that is so cool. I am not even sure how to put it into words. It truly means so much to me to be recognized and have the ability to tell not only the girls I coach but show my niece that hard work and dedication pays off.”