How ACC rivals have united to support FSU softball coach amid cancer fight
N.C. State coach Lindsay Leftwich and Florida State’s Lonni Alameda shook hands before first pitch on March 28 at Seminole Softball Complex. It looked like all of their previous pregame interactions except Alameda sported a short haircut instead of her typical braid.
Over the years, Alameda’s long, thick plait became her signature look, making it surprising to see her without it.
The following Monday, ACC coaches found out why: Alameda, 54, has breast cancer. They got on a Zoom call prior to the public announcement. Duke head coach Marissa Young said the news hit hard. Young’s husband, James, remains in recovery from a heart attack he had two years ago.
“To see another really good person in the game have to go through hard times and suffering, it’s tough,” Young said, holding back tears. “You really hate to see her have to go through something challenging. But, at the same time, I feel like God gives his toughest battles to his best soldiers. Lonni is definitely one of them. We’re just happy that we can be a small part in helping support her.”
Alameda’s colleagues discussed what their teams could do immediately to support her, considering games took place 48 hours later.
They settled on helmet decals, which they could get quickly, and hair ribbons. Everyone wanted to participate. Leftwich said people likely expected a simple round decal with Alameda’s initials. She took it a step further.
Leftwich worked with FSU assistant coach Travis Wilson and the Wolfpack creative team to come up with a special design. They landed on the traditional pink breast cancer awareness ribbon with Alameda’s initials on one side and a braid on the other; a nod to her signature hairstyle.
“I was hoping for something that was a little more personal, that she could hold on to and use for years to come,” Leftwich said.
Mission accomplished.
The design has made its way not only to batting helmets but also to T-shirts and several fields, by way of pink chalk.
“I think our platform of N.C. State, our platform of NCAA athletics, and of softball really gives us this moment to remind everyone that it’s way more than hits and strikeouts,” Leftwich said. “It’s about using what we have for good.”
More than a sticker
Alameda noticed a lump in her chest during the Seminoles’ winter break and immediately sought medical care. She received the diagnosis at the beginning of March.
The longtime head coach told her staff the weekend Florida State traveled to Durham for its series at Duke. Alameda went public at the end of March in a video posted on social media, stating she planned to continue coaching through her chemotherapy regimen. She has already begun treatment and expects to have surgery in the fall.
High school, travel and college teams across the nation — and even one in Japan — have expressed support in their own ways. Some made T-shirts or added ribbons to their uniforms, while others encouraged cancer research donations.
Former South Carolina coach Beverly Smith and former UNC coach Donna Papa took donations to hire a cleaning service that visits Alameda’s home once per week during her chemotherapy treatments.
“As much as doing something symbolic on the field matters and is important, I think probably what’s been more cool for her has just been all of the people that have sent well wishes,” Leftwich said. “Those are things that make you realize you’re not in this thing alone.”
Leftwich said the ACC coaches have not held another call, but she expects them to discuss in the offseason how the conference can provide Alameda with long-term support.
Every small effort means a lot to Alameda, yet she’s not surprised. The sport is filled with good people who take care of one another, she said. They did it with Young’s family during her husband’s ongoing health battle over the last two years, and they’re doing it for her.
“This is what you do. You support people, you make them feel loved,” Alameda said. “I go back to human kindness; it’s incredible, special. For anyone out there that thinks if they don’t wear pink it doesn’t matter, it does matter. It does make a difference.
“I don’t look at anyone as rivals and opponents at this point. I’m just very grateful that they want to celebrate the story, share the story, comfort and support on that side of it.”
‘All in with her’
Every coach in the Triangle described Alameda and her contributions to the sport with reverence and appreciation.
Florida State hired Alameda in 2009. In her 16-year tenure, Alameda guided the program to nine ACC championships and seven ACC regular-season titles. (It leads the league this season with three weeks until the conference championship.) Additionally, it has an NCAA Tournament appearance every year, 10 Super Regional berths, five trips to the Women’s College World Series and the 2018 national title.
Alameda’s career is nothing short of remarkable, her colleagues said. Leftwich called her a trailblazer, both for the sport and the ACC. Young praised Alameda’s spirit. UNC head coach Megan Smith-Lyon, in no uncertain terms, called Alameda “one of the best to ever do it.”
She set the standard for success in the ACC.
Except they don’t admire her on-field success only. She’s done far more than win.
Alameda knows her players on an individual level — she knows about their families, relationships, even their pets — and her treatment of them is never based on results.
The veteran coach is also devoted to the sport and its growth. That means helping coaches navigate the early years of their careers, develop their leadership styles and learn the ropes in the ACC. Duke, N.C. State and UNC have all been on the receiving end. She advocates for others and seeks to provide smiles. Alameda does it while trying to win and win big.
“Her moral compass and how she cares and treats one another — she’s competitive, but it supersedes that,” Young said. “Playing the game the right way, coaching the game the right way, that is what has enabled her to have sustained success for so many years. That’s something I really value.”
Supporting Alameda, the trio said, is more than the right thing to do. They’re honoring everything she’s given them and the sport.
Alameda is the second Florida State coach to undergo breast cancer treatment. Women’s basketball coach Brooke Wyckoff was diagnosed in 2023. Wyckoff is in remission, and Alameda’s prognosis is promising.
“She is such a bright light for all of us; an advocate for our sport, and for young women growing within our sport,” Smith-Lyon said. “We’re all in with her, supporting her fight. We know she’s going to pull through just fine and beat it. No doubt. … She’s a warrior.”
This story was originally published April 28, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
