Last week, the Florida Dairy Farmers announced their eight individual class finalists for the 2026 Miss Softball and Coach of the Year awards.
Trenton junior Addison Allaire was named the Rural Player of the Year, while Columbia (Lake City) coach Joe Saucier was recognized as the Class 4A Coach of the Year.
On Wednesday morning, Allaire finished runner-up for Miss Softball while Saucier was named the overall Coach of the Year.
Allaire finished second behind Pace junior pitcher Hannah DeMarcus after a sensational junior season.
The University of Florida commit, who helped lead the Tigers (25-3) to their third straight state title, finished 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).
DeMarcus, who is committed to play at Auburn University, led the Patriots (27-4) to the FHSAA Class 6A state title with a 20-2 record. She posted a 0.90 ERA while striking out 315 batters in 156 innings pitched.
The Class 6A Player-of-the-Year won the overall award with nine of the 18 first-place votes and 128 points to finish ahead of Allaire (80 points) and Class 3A POY Courtney Wahlbrink of Coral Springs Charter (47).
Co-Class 5A POY Chloe Bailey of Niceville (43) was fourth in the voting, followed by Class 7A POY Mattingly Klein of Hagerty (30), Co-Class 5A POY Lauren Daugherty of Winter Springs (29), Class 2A POY Aubrey Vital of Oxbridge Academy (19), Class 4A POY Alannah Lord of Columbia (15) and Class 1A POY Dixie Tessier of Jacksonville University Christian (5).
Allaire, who received three first-place votes, was recently named the 2026 Florida Gatorade Player of the Year, while DeMarcus was the 2025 Florida Gatorade POY.
Saucier won the overall award with six of the 18 first-place votes and 100 points, to finish ahead of Class 6A COY Lexi Alexander of Pace, who had five first-place votes and 81 points.
“It is an absolutely amazing feeling to be recognized by the media and my peers as Coach of the year,” Saucier said. “I was fortunate enough to have a great group of girls that bought into our vision and played with a chip on their shoulder the entire year to get Columbia softball the recognition it deserved. I would not be receiving this award without them and my right-hand man, Coach Brandon Beadles. I finally talked Coach Beadles into joining us this year and many times he keeps me locked in mentally to guide these girls towards this state title. I could not have done it without him and the other coaches on my staff.”
In his second year as Columbia’s head coach, Saucier led his squad to a 29-3 record and the Class 4A state title, the school’s first state championship since 2013. In two years at Columbia, Saucier has posted a 44-15 record.
“A lot of hours of watching film, coming up with game plans and sleepless nights worrying about other people’s kids go into something like this, and I’m honored to be recognized by the media and my peers for an award of this magnitude,” he said.
Kevin Benson of Trenton, the Rural COY, finished third in the voting (55 points) with one first-place vote, followed by Class 5A COY Farrah Gordon of Winter Springs (48), Class 3A COY Mark Montimurro of Coral Springs Charter (45), Class 7A COY Tom Kreahling of Oviedo Hagerty (39), Class 2A COY Kevin Drake of Oxbridge Academy (15) and Class 1A COY Keith Stroud of Jacksonville University Christian (10).
All eight finalists led their teams to state titles.
2026 Player of the Year Voting Results:
Hannah DeMarcus, Pace, 128 points
Addison Allaire, Trenton, 80 points
Courtney Wahlbrink, Coral Springs Charter, 47 points
Chloe Bailey, Niceville, 43 points
Mattingly Klein, Hagerty, 30 points
Lauren Daugherty, Winter Springs, 29 votes
Aubrey Vital, Oxbridge Academy, 19 votes
Alannah Lord, Columbia, 15 votes
Dixie Tessier, University Christian, 5 votes
Past Miss Softball Winners:
1993 – Jodi Hughes, Palmetto (Fast Pitch)
Mary Babb, Barron Collier (Slow Pitch)
1994 – Jean Bonnici, Naples
1995 – Monica Triner, East Bay
1996 – Michelle Moschel, Naples
1997 – Kellie Wilkerson, Jacksonville Mandarin
1998 – Jennifer Gladding, Martin County
1999 – Jennifer Joiner, Bell
2000 – Claire Sua, St. Thomas Aquinas
2001 – Julie Henneke, Sickles
2002 – Erin Horn, Tallahassee Leon
2003 – Stacey Stevens, Gainesville Buchholz
2004 – Allison Kime, Valrico Bloomingdale
2005 – Dani Hofer, Palm Harbor University
2006 – Kelsi Dunne, Port Orange Spruce Creek
2007 – Kelsi Dunne, Port Orange Spruce Creek
2008 – Kelly Saco, Miami Palmetto
2009 – Erin Schuppert, Neptune Beach Fletcher
2010 – Kasey Fagan, Dunnellon
2011 – Emily Sanders, Bartow
2012 – Shelby Turnier, Palm Beach Gardens
2013 – Stephanie Texeira, Gulliver Preparatory School
2014 – Korina Rosario, West Florida
2015 – Morgan White, Ocala Forest
2016—Lauren Mathis, West Orange
2017 – Ally Muraskin, Coral Springs Charter
2018 – Lexi Kilfoyl, Academy at the Lakes
2019 – Lexi Kilfoyl, Academy at the Lakes
2020 – No Winner Named
2021 – Darian Ingram, Trenton
2022 – Jasmine Francik, Melbourne
2023 – Katelynn Oxley, Bartow
2024 – Jayden Heavener, Pace
2025 – Megan Villazon, Doral Academy
2026 Coach of the Year Voting Results
Joe Saucier, Columbia, 100 votes
Lexi Alexander, Pace, 81 votes
Kevin Benson, Trenton, 55 votes
Farrah Gordon, Winter Springs, 46 votes
Mark Montimurro, Coral Springs Charter, 45 votes
Tom Kreahling, Hagerty, 39 votes
Kevin Drake, Oxbridge Academy, 15 votes
Keith Stroud, University Christian, 10 votes
Past Softball Coaches of the Year:
1993 – Jean King, Niceville (Slow Pitch)
Marilyn Bevetta, Ridgewood (Fast Pitch)
1994 – Robert Iamurri, Naples
1995 – Leslie Black, Cardinal Mooney
1996 – Robert Iamurri, Naples
1997 – Mike Clamon, Bloomingdale
1998 – Kathy Finnucan, Trinity Prep
1999 – Bryan Baucom, St. Thomas Aquinas
2000 – Kathy Finnucan, Trinity Prep
2001 – Mark Schusterman, Gulliver Preparatory
2002 – Glenn Rutenbar, Bartow
2003 – Becker Downie, Miami Palmetto
2004 – Glenn Rutenbar, Bartow
2005 – Chuck Poetter, Palm Harbor University
2006 – Glenn Rutenbar, Bartow
2007 – Kathy Finnucan, Trinity Prep
2008 – Coy Adkins, Wewahitchka
2009 – Kevin Fagan, Dunnellon
2010 – Kevin Fagan, Dunnellon
2011 – Danny Hensley, Niceville
2012 – Mark Schusterman, Gulliver Preparatory
2013 – Bryan Baucom, St. Thomas Aquinas
2014 – Amanda Schuerman, Bloomingdale
2015 – Melinda Wyatt, Tate
2016 – Todd LaNeave, West Orange
2017 – Christina Thompson, Oakleaf
2018 – Mark Montimurro, Coral Springs Charter
2019 – Mark Huaman, Winter Springs
2020 – No Winner Named
2021 – T.J. Goelz, Lakewood Ranch
2022 – Lindsay Ingram, Deltona
2023 – Erin Spivey Parrish Community
2024 – Lexi Alexander, Pace
2025 – Mark Boretti, Wellington