There is strong, then there is McIlhargey strong.

It wasn’t easy for Flathead senior Macey McIlhargey to get back in the circle for her senior season, but now that she is here, she and the Bravettes are set for a stellar year. 

“It was actually pretty difficult for me to choose to play this year,” McIlhargey said. “I have a lot of family stuff going on ... my mom got cancer this year and she just beat it two weeks ago.” 

Tana McIlhargey was diagnosed with stomach cancer in October 2025 and after treatment she received word in late March that the cancer had cleared. 

While Macey teetered on the idea of playing this week, it was her mom’s journey that pushed her back to the Bravettes. 

“My mom is definitely my ‘why,’ for why I am playing this year, because she really wanted me to,” McIlhargey said. “I feel like I have gained a lot of mental toughness ... and it made me realize a bigger perspective of life and to play for fun and to enjoy the game. I just want to have fun for her.” 

“She has brought a ton of strength, I can’t even imagine what it is like to go through that,” Bravettes’ coach Brittany Burnham said. “We are so happy that she is here and we are more happy that her mom has turned a corner and has better health.” 

As for softball, McIlhargey picked up the sport with Tee ball as a 5-year-old. 

“I didn’t really like it at first, but I stuck with it,” McIlhargey said. 

She joined a 10U travel team to continue her playing and develop her skills as a player, though pitching was not in her mind at that time. 

“When I first started pitching I hated it. I wanted nothing to do with it,” McIlhargey said. “Olivia Nyman’s dad (Nick Nyman) and my mom would pay me 20 bucks for every pitching practice I went to because they both really wanted me to pitch.” 

Into high school, McIlhargey worked on developing her off-speed pitches to the point where she considers her drop pitch to be her most effective. 

“To think about where she started and how she pitched (against Butte) it is such a transformation for her,” Burnham said. “She has worked really hard on developing different pitches. When she first got here she just had a fastball and changeup, and we started developing her change up and now she has a couple variations of it. She can throw an off-speed pitch. She can throw a drop ball.  

“I think the changing of the speeds that she has developed has really helped her be successful.” 

McIlhargey wasn’t originally supposed to go to Flathead, but rather Glacier. She played travel ball with many of the players on Glacier’s roster but made the decision to attend Flathead so that she could help grow the program. 

“Overall, there were a lot of girls going to Glacier from travel softball and I wanted to be a little different,” McIlhargey said. “I really wanted to ensure that I would get to play.” 

Now a senior leader, McIlhargey says she loves the feeling of standing in the circle and looking back at her teammates. 

“I really like the feeling of when I get to turn around and look at Olivia (Nyman) or Danica (Hennell) and they are there supporting me. I like to see the rest of the team,” McIlhargey said. 

“She has been a catalyst for us so far this year, she has led by example on the mound,” Burnham said. “She has been working hard and I truly can’t imagine what our season would look like without her being a part of it.” 

Despite an 0-3 start to the season, McIlhargey and Burnham both see the potential in this year’s Bravettes and note that the team has improved with each game and practice. 

Macey will get the chance to face off against her old travel softball teammates as the Bravettes battle Glacier today at 5 p.m. It’s one of two Crosstown matchups this season and the first at Flathead’s new home field at ABS Park in Evergreen. 

“It can be a little bit intimidating, but they have been my best friends for so long,” McIlhargey said. “You know a lot about them. You know what pitches they don’t like to hit and what their flaws or their strengths are. 

“I like to see the girls when I’m on base. I like to chit-chat with them.” 

As for after this season, McIlhargey plans to hang up the cleats and attend Flathead Valley Community College to finish her prerequisite classes. Then she hopes to complete an ultrasound program in Phoenix. 

Reporter Jon Allen can be reached at 406-758-4426 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.