Early look at what FSU softball has returning and joining the program for 2026

3 Gatorade Players of the Year Coming
2023 NCAA Division I Softball Championship
2023 NCAA Division I Softball Championship | Ian Maule/GettyImages

FSU softball lost in the Super Regionals for the second consecutive season. They lost to the eventual national champions in 2024 and ran into a unicorn pitcher from Texas Tech in 2025.

Coach Lonni Alameda addressed the pitching concerns from 2024 and had one of the best and deepest pitching units nationally.

It was a historic year for the offense:

FSU losing Kennedy Harp for the season late in the year didn't help their chances in the postseason. The Noles will lose some firepower with the departures of Michaela Edenfield, Jahni Kerr, and Kate Dack.

However, they have offensive players returning like: Isa Torres, Kennedy Harp, Jaysoni Beachum, Ashtyn Danley, Shelby McKenzie, Angelee Bueno, and likely players from the transfer portal.

Ashtyn Danley and Jazzy Francik will return inside the circle, which provides two outstanding options with tons of experience.

FSU has added freshmen who have been impact players over the last couple of years, and the Noles have reloaded with an outstanding recruiting class again for 2026:

Hinde will likely look to fill the vacancy left by Edenfield's departure behind the plate. She was excellent power with seven home runs, batting .679. and a .809 on-base percentage as a senior.

Griggs will play in the infield and bring a monster bat to college. She batted .656 with 23 home runs, 64 runs scored, 55 RBI, and 29 stolen bases.

Dimitrijevic has over 1,000 strikeouts in his high school career and had 347 K's in 147.2 innings and a 0.43 ERA as a senior.

Other standout players in the class:

Harlie Chism-No. 17 player overall and No. 5 infielder from Oklahoma. 3-time state track champion

Marlee Gaskell-No. 4 pitcher via Extra Innings Softball. 133 innings with a 1.21 ERA with 174 strikeouts compared to 30 walks

Makenna Sturgis-Hit .518 with 16 home runs, 60 RBI, and 47 stolen bases

The 2025 recruiting class was No. 3 nationally and boasts nine players total. FSU has power, speed, and another freshman pitcher who could serve in a similar role as Ashtyn Danley and Jazzy Francik over the past two years. It looks like Lonni Alameda is positioning FSU to make another deep run in the postseason.