- Addison Allaire of Trenton was named the Rural Player of the Year after leading her team to a third straight state title with a 0.81 ERA and 295 strikeouts.
- Alannah Lord of Columbia helped her team win its first state softball championship in 13 years and was named Class 4A Player of the Year.
- Kevin Benson of Trenton earned Rural Coach of the Year honors with a 44-9 record over two seasons and back-to-back state championships and Joe Saucier of Columbia earned Class 4A Coach of the Year with a 29-3 record and the Tigers' first state title in 13 years.
The eight individual class finalists for the 2026 Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Softball and Coach of the Year have been announced following balloting by a statewide panel of high school softball coaches and prep media representatives.
University of Florida commit Addison Allaire of Trenton was named the Rural Player of the Year, while Alannah Lord of Columbia (Lake City) was recognized as the Class 4A POY.
Allaire, the reigning Rural POY, helped lead the Tigers (25-3) to their third straight state title.
The junior had 16 strikeouts in the state semifinals, a 1-0 win against Madison County, and she drove in four runs with a double and a home run in a 13-1 win in five innings against Liberty County (Bristol) in the title game.
Allaire finished the season with an 18-3 record and a 0.81 ERA with 295 strikeouts in 139 innings pitched. She also hit .449 with eight doubles, seven home runs, 17 runs scored, and 28 runs batted in (RBI).
Her coach, Kevin Benson, was named the Rural Coach of the Year again. In his two seasons as head coach, Benson has posted a 44-9 record overall.
Lord helped lead Columbia (29-3) to its first softball state title in 13 years.
The freshman batted .446 with nine doubles, two triples, five home runs, 41 runs scored, 35 RBI, and 11 stolen bases.
She had a hit and a run scored in the walk-off 6-5 win against Seminole in the 4A state semifinals and she added a hit, a run scored and an RBI in the 3-2 win against Lake Wales in the title game.
Texas A&M University commit Leanna Bourdage of Gainesville High School finished third in the voting for the Class 5A POY.
She had a total of 49 points, finishing behind Lauren Daugherty of state champion Winter Springs and Chloe Bailey of state runner-up Niceville, who were the 5A Co-POY with 103 points each.
Bourdage, who hit a milestone this year with her 500th strikeout, helped lead GHS (16-7) to a second straight regional final appearance before losing at Winter Springs, 5-0, and falling one game shy of a final four appearance.
Allaire and Bourdage were previously named the Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) District 7 POY for their respective classes, while Benson was named the FACA District 7 Rural COY.
Every finalist was the leading vote-getter in their classification, making each one the Player of the Year or Coach of the Year in her/his class. The two winners will be announced following a final round of balloting by coaches and media.
The finalists for the 2026 Miss Softball Award:
Mattingly Klein, Freshman, Shortstop, Hagerty, Class 7A Player of the Year
Helped her team to the state title with a .500 batting average, 8 doubles, 6 home runs, 40 runs scored, 26 runs batted in and 13 stolen bases.
Hannah Demarcus, Junior, Pitcher, Pace, Class 6A Player of the Year
Led her team to the state title with a 20-2 record, a 0.90 ERA and 315 strikeouts in 156 innings pitched. Committed to Auburn University.
Lauren Daugherty, Junior, Catcher, Winer Springs, Class 5A Co-Player of the Year
Helped her team to the state title with a .400 batting average, 11 doubles, 6 home runs and 35 runs batted in. Had a 1.000 fielding percentage with 136 total chances. Committed to the University of Kentucky.
Chloe Bailey, Junior, Pitcher/Infielder, Niceville, Class 5A Co-Player of the Year
Led her team to a state runner-up finish with a 20-7 record, a 1.38 ERA and 245 strikeouts in 172 innings pitched. She also hit .369 with 6 home runs and 33 runs batted in.
Alannah Lord, Freshman, Infielder, Columbia, Class 4A Player of the Year
Helped her team to the state championship with a .446 batting average, 9 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs, 41 runs scored, 35 runs batted in and 11 stolen bases.
Courtney Wahlbrink, Junior, Pitcher, Coral Springs Charter, Class 3A Player of the Year
Led her team to the state title with a 22-2 record, a 0.66 ERA and 222 strikeouts in 138 innings pitched. She also hit .396 with 8 doubles, 2 home runs and 12 runs batted in.
Aubrey Vital, Sophomore, Pitcher, Oxbridge Academy, Class 2A Player of the Year
Led her team to the state title with an 18-3 record and a 0.73 ERA with 162 strikeouts in 135 innings pitched. She also hit .461 with 10 doubles, 23 runs scored and 21 runs batted in.
Dixie Tessier, Senior, Pitcher, University Christian, Class 1A Player of the Year
Led her team to the state title with an 11-0 record, a 0.78 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 63 innings pitched. She also hit .348 with 8 doubles and 16 runs batted in. Committed to Catawba Valley Community College (NC).
Addison Allaire, Junior, Pitcher, Trenton, Rural Class Player of the Year
Led her team to the state championship with an 18-3 record and a 0.81 ERA with 295 strikeouts in 139 innings pitched. She also hit .449 with 8 doubles, 7 home runs, 17 runs scored and 28 runs batted in.
The following are the Softball Coach of the Year finalists:
Tom Kreahling, Hagerty, Class 7A Coach of the Year
Led his squad to a 27-4 record and the state championship. In three years at Hagerty, he has posted a 74-17 record with a state runner-up finish in 2025.
Lexi Alexander, Pace, Class 6A Coach of the Year
Led her team to a 27-4 record and the state championship. In four years at Pace, she has posted a 107-12 record with two state titles (2024 and 2026) and two state runner-up finishes.
Farrah Gordon, Winter Springs, Class 5A Coach of the Year
Led her team to a 24-6 record and a second straight state championship, outscoring opponents 71-0 in seven playoff games. In six years, Gordon has posted a 115-57 record.
Joe Saucier, Columbia, Class 4A Coach of the Year
Led his squad to a 29-3 record and the school’s first state title since 2013. In two years at Columbia, he has posted a 44-15 record.
Mark Montimurro, Coral Springs Charter, Class 3A Coach of the Year
Led his squad to a 23-4 record and the state championship. It was the school’s sixth state championship, but the first since Montimurro led the program to five consecutive titles from 2015-19.
Kevin Drake, Oxbridge Academy, Class 2A Coach of the Year
Led his squad to a 24-3 record and the school’s first state title. In 12 years at Oxbridge, he has posted a 239-67 record. Prior to coming to the school, he won three state titles at American Heritage-Delray (2011-13).
Keith Stroud, University Christian, Class 1A Coach of the Year
Led his team to a 21-4 record and the state championship. In eight years at UC, he has posted a 142-40 record with another state title in 2023 and four state runner-up finishes (2016, 2021, 2022 & 2024).
Kevin Benson, Trenton, Rural Class Coach of the Year
Led his squad to a 25-3 record and a second straight state championship. In his two years at the school, he has posted a 44-9 record.
Final voting numbers by class (top three):
Area players/coaches in bold
Class 7A
Player School Points
Mattingly Klein Hagerty 115
Cheyanne Chaffin Western 79
Veronica Peterson East Ridge 62
Coach School Points
Tom Kreahling Hagerty 167
John Bradshaw Western 104
Al Peterson East Ridge 78
Class 6A
Player School Points
Hannah Demarcus Pace 131
Ryleigh Knowlton Bartow 83
Anabella Abdullah Doral Academy 61
Coach School Points
Lexi Alexander Pace 157
Glenn Rutenbar Bartow 111
Willie Viruet Doral Academy 47
Class 5A
Player School Points
Lauren Daugherty Winter Springs 103
Chloe Bailey Niceville 103
Leanna Bourdage Gainesville 49
Coach School Points
Farrah Gordon Winter Springs 143
Danny Hensley Niceville 93
Keith Jans Braden River 77
Class 4A
Player School Points
Alannah Lord Columbia 102
Kierra Davis Lake Wales 63
Brianna Brenner Key West 50
Coach School Points
Joe Saucier Columbia 160
Mike Settles Lake Wales 92
Jason Garcia Key West 34
Class 3A
Player School Points
Courtney Wahlbrink Coral Springs Charter 131
Lydia Berent Cardinal Gibbons 59
Parker Stubbs Wakulla 54
Coach School Points
Mark Montimurro Coral Springs Charter 155
Matthew Burgess Eustis 88
Sally Wheeler Wakulla 49
Class 2A
Player School Points
Aubrey Vital Oxbridge Academy 98
Emma Pynes Cornerstone Charter 69
Gracyn Needle King’s Academy 37
Coach School Points
Kevin Drake Oxbridge Academy 155
Dan Lobozzo Cornerstone Charter 77
John Bredmore Bishop Verot 26
Class 1A
Player School Points
Dixie Tessier University Christian 101
Keaunna Green Evangelical Christian 68
Amanda Thompson St. John Paul II 42
Coach School Points
Keith Stroud University Christian 142
Jared Incinelli Geneva 88
Johnny Manetta Evangelical Christian 49
Rural Class
Player School Points
Addison Allaire Trenton 155
Cha’miya Williams Liberty County 84
Alden Bass Madison County 73
Coach School Points
Kevin Benson Trenton 170
Jennifer Sewell Liberty County 113
Ansley Rogers Madison County 54