FSU Softball Head Coach Lonni Alameda Provides Health Update Amid Cancer Fight

Credit: FSU Athletics

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball

Ahead of Florida State softball traveling internationally to London and Paris for competition, practice, and team bonding in August, head coach Lonni Alameda gave an important health update during a press conference on Monday. 

In February, Alameda announced she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and has been undergoing treatment at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, all while she guided the Seminoles to a postseason run that ended in Super Regionals. 

While she admitted it's been a very long journey, the veteran coach said she has one round of chemotherapy left. It’s a process she wouldn’t have been able to get through without her coaching staff, players, and the distraction that softball brings. 

“The season was amazing because I had a routine and you have the team,” Alameda said in the press conference. “And then you get into the summer, and you’ve got a little bit of recruiting, and your routine kind of goes up and down. I have one more round to do and then some testing. And hopefully by the end of this fall, we’ve kicked it in the butt and are ready to move on for the season.”

Despite it all, Alameda has stayed incredibly positive. Heading overseas to gain exposure while playing an exhibition game against the London Mets and then hosting a camp for all ages, Alameda is constantly thinking about building up her team and the sport.

“When you have nine newbies coming in, we really pride ourselves on the connection piece,” Alameda said in the press conference. “This is a really good opportunity. We’ve wanted to do an international trip for a long time, and it just so happened to fall on this opportunity now with the nine freshmen."

In 17 seasons at the helm of FSU Softball, Alameda has completely changed the program. Never missing the NCAA Tournament in her 17 seasons, it was announced in June that Alameda was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame 2025 Class. She becomes just the 27th member from FSU to do so.