Lonni Alameda of the Florida State Seminoles softball team has been named the 2025 ACC Coach of the Year.
Lonni Alameda, the highly respected head coach of the Florida State Seminoles softball team, has once again etched her name into the annals of college softball history by being named the 2025 ACC Coach of the Year. This prestigious honor is yet another testament to Alameda’s unparalleled ability to build, sustain, and elevate one of the nation’s premier softball programs. Over the years, her leadership has not only brought championships and accolades to Tallahassee but has also fostered a culture of excellence, resilience, and unity within her squad. The 2025 season exemplified everything that makes Alameda a generational coaching talent: tactical genius, emotional intelligence, and an uncanny ability to get the best out of every player who dons the garnet and gold.
Florida State’s 2025 campaign was marked by dominance, cohesion, and relentless pursuit of greatness, all of which stem from Alameda’s meticulous preparation and visionary mindset. With a roster featuring a blend of experienced veterans and promising underclassmen, the Seminoles tore through the ACC schedule, often overwhelming opponents with their precision, power, and poise. Florida State ended the regular season with one of the best records in program history, maintaining a top-five national ranking and seizing the ACC regular season crown in commanding fashion. Throughout it all, Alameda was the steady force guiding the ship, making in-game decisions that altered the course of contests, mentoring her players with wisdom and care, and representing the university with class.
What separates Alameda from her peers is her deep commitment to player development, both on and off the field. In 2025, multiple Seminoles reached personal bests in batting average, on-base percentage, and fielding efficiency. The pitching staff, under her direction, was especially lethal—ranking among the top in ERA and strikeouts in the nation. Alameda’s strategic use of her bullpen, her patience in allowing young pitchers to grow, and her ability to mold raw talent into dominant forces were evident in every outing. It’s no coincidence that nearly every player on the roster made significant strides in their game, a hallmark of a coach who prioritizes growth over quick results.
Beyond the technical and tactical brilliance, Alameda’s leadership style has cultivated a culture where accountability, trust, and team-first mentality reign supreme. Her players often speak glowingly about the environment she creates—where effort is praised, mistakes are learning opportunities, and the journey is as cherished as the results. In an era where pressure can mount quickly and expectations are sky-high, Alameda has consistently managed to shield her players from external noise, allowing them to perform with joy and freedom. This emotional intelligence has become one of her defining traits and a reason why she continues to attract some of the nation’s top recruits.
The 2025 season also came with its share of adversity, but in typical Alameda fashion, she turned obstacles into fuel. Early in the season, the Seminoles lost two key starters to injury, a situation that could have derailed a lesser team. Instead, Alameda retooled her lineup, shifted roles, and inspired her team to rally together. The result was a midseason surge that saw Florida State defeat multiple top-ten opponents and go on an extended winning streak that solidified their place among the elite. These moments, where composure meets courage, are where Alameda thrives. Her ability to adjust on the fly, to maintain morale and belief even in trying circumstances, is a big reason why she was a unanimous choice for the ACC’s top coaching honor.
Perhaps the most telling evidence of her impact came in the postseason, where Florida State not only claimed the ACC Tournament title but also entered the NCAA tournament as one of the most feared teams in the country. Alameda’s squad played with a fearless edge, unbothered by the weight of expectations and driven by a shared purpose. Though the season’s final destination may still be in play or recently concluded, the journey itself was already enough to earn her the highest recognition from her peers and conference officials. Coach of the Year is more than an award—it’s a reflection of yearlong excellence, of respect earned from those who understand the grind, and of the impact felt far beyond the stat sheets.
Alameda’s influence extends well past the field. In 2025, she continued to be an outspoken advocate for student-athlete welfare, mental health awareness, and academic achievement. Her program routinely boasts some of the highest GPAs in the conference, and she encourages her players to be leaders in the community, ambassadors for the sport, and role models for young girls across the country. This holistic approach to coaching ensures that when players leave her program, they do so not just as better athletes but as better people. Her emphasis on character, discipline, and humility shines through in the way her players conduct themselves in the dugout, in press conferences, and in public.
This year’s honor also reinforces what has become an undeniable truth in college softball: Lonni Alameda is a transformative figure. Since arriving at Florida State in 2009, she has turned a solid program into a perennial powerhouse. Her list of accomplishments includes national championships, Women’s College World Series appearances, and a seemingly endless string of ACC titles. Each year, she finds new ways to innovate, motivate, and elevate. The consistency with which her teams perform at a high level is remarkable, but it is the evolution of the program—adapting to rule changes, recruiting trends, and the increasingly competitive landscape—that speaks to her genius.
Moreover, Alameda’s ability to build and maintain a strong staff has been pivotal to Florida State’s success. The assistant coaches, many of whom are former players or long-time collaborators, speak to the loyalty and mutual respect that define her inner circle. This stability allows the program to function with a rare synergy, where everyone—from trainers to team managers—feels invested in the mission. Alameda empowers those around her, valuing their input and fostering a collaborative environment. This delegation and trust are yet more reasons why the Seminoles operate with such cohesion and efficiency.
2025 also saw Alameda’s mentorship bear fruit beyond her own team. Several of her former assistants and players now coach at other Division I programs, a coaching tree that continues to expand and influence the game nationally. Her philosophies—on preparation, on communication, on the mental side of sport—have become a blueprint for success, studied and admired across the country. And while she remains fiercely competitive, Alameda is also known for her willingness to share knowledge, to uplift the game as a whole, and to ensure that softball continues to grow in popularity and visibility.
In the eyes of Florida State fans, the 2025 ACC Coach of the Year honor is long overdue recognition for another masterful season from their beloved leader. Seminole Nation has long cherished Alameda for the way she represents the university, for her passionate demeanor in the third base coaching box, and for the relationships she builds with every athlete who comes through the program. Under her leadership, the stands are full, the games are electric, and the standard is unmistakably high. She has become one of the most recognizable figures in Florida State athletics—a beacon of success and stability.
What may be most remarkable is that despite all she’s achieved, Alameda remains as driven as ever. She continues to seek out challenges, push boundaries, and find ways to better herself and her team. Every practice, every meeting, and every pitch is an opportunity to grow, and her insatiable appetite for excellence sets the tone for everyone around her. That mindset is contagious, and it’s the foundation of a culture that doesn’t just win—it endures.
As the 2025 season adds another storied chapter to her legacy, Lonni Alameda stands tall as one of the most decorated and respected coaches in collegiate sports. Her selection as ACC Coach of the Year is not just a nod to a season of dominance, but a recognition of a career defined by integrity, innovation, and impact. Whether it’s in the heat of a championship game, in the quiet of a postgame meeting, or in the daily grind of training, Alameda is building something lasting. In Tallahassee, they don’t just have a great coach—they have a legend.
