FSU softball entered the offseason on a quiet note after falling to Texas Tech in the Super Regionals earlier this year. While head coach Lonni Alameda faces a battle off the field, she still managed to secure a top national talent for the 2026 recruiting class.
She flipped the Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year, McLaine Hudson, from Kentucky to add massive firepower to the 2026 FSU recruiting class.
Hudson received a rankings boost from the Softball America publication and has moved up to the No. 5 player nationally:
McLaine Hudson, who recently committed to Florida State, is a riser in our latest 2026 recruiting rankings update.@McLaineHudson1 | @FSU_Softball | @Go_Rout https://t.co/7e2xS10s5q pic.twitter.com/SOTLTUZnZK
— Softball America (@SoftbalAmerica) October 28, 2025
The addition of Hudson makes FSU the only team in the ACC with a player ranked among the top 10 nationally.
The addition of Hudson makes FSU the only team in the ACC with a player ranked among the top 10 nationally. The 2026 FSU recruiting class had some solid pieces, but Hudson is a player who could have an immediate impact as a freshman.
FSU hasn’t found a suitable replacement at the second base position since Devyn Flaherty exited the program after the 2024 season. Flaherty was solid defensively and a terror on the bases. Hudson could fill that void at second base with an explosive bat, joining several players from the 2025 recruiting class who will likely be impact players as freshmen this season.
Hudson is already the career hits leader in the state of Kentucky, and 25 percent of his hits have gone for home runs over the past two seasons. She is also a threat on the bases, stealing 97 bases over the past three seasons.
FSU softball continues to stack nice recruiting classes from the high school ranks. Will it be enough to contend for a national title again in 2026 or 2027? We'll have to wait and see, but we like their chances.