- Florida State Softball Head Coach Lonni Alameda has been undergoing cancer treatment at TMH.
- The university published the announcement on its Seminoles softball web page Monday morning.
- Read Coach Alameda's message to supporters.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
On the field, the Florida State softball team is flying high with a 33-5 record and a top-10 ranking.
In the dugout — head coach Lonni Alameda is managing her own battle with the same attitude.
I'm Alberto Camargo your College Town neighborhood reporter.
Taking you through the reactions and support for Coach Alameda after her announcement.
"As you've heard the news, I've been diagnosed with breast cancer."
One day after the team's 13th straight win over NC State Sunday, Coach Alameda revealed her diagnosis on social media.
It was followed by hundreds of supportive messages and comments from fans across social media — and of course from her players as well.
Outfielder Hallie Wacaser calling Coach the "strongest woman she knows".
Infielder Amaya Ross adding the team is "standing with her every step of the way".
FSU Athletic Director Michael Alford added this in a statement, "She has attacked this challenge with a positive mentality that continues to serve her well on her path to recovery. Our primary concern is providing her with all the support she needs to simultaneously focus on her health and her team. "
That's right — simultaneously — because despite receiving treatment at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, Coach Alameda says she does not plan to step away from the dugout.
"To the nurses, to the doctors, to the staff members at TMH, I'm in a really good spot. I have a really good plan. And I'm so supported. So thank you as a family out there for all the love. But it's business as usual, you know that."
Alameda's announcement comes just over a year since FSU women's basketball coach Brooke Wyckoff was also treated for breast cancer at TMH.
In a previous interview with ABC27, Wyckoff described how she felt being treated at TMH.
"It can be a painful thing, emotionally and physically. So I can't say enough about the staff, the administrative team here that does so much to make this such a wonderful place to spend a really hard time."
Alameda has coached FSU since 2008, reaching the Women's College World Series seven times and winning one national title in 2018.
As Alameda says, the show goes on.
The Seminoles are back in action at Joanne Graf Field on Wednesday taking on the Florida Gators in a top-10 rivalry matchup.
In College Town, Alberto Camargo, ABC27.
ORIGINAL STORY:
In a post on the FSU sports home page, the university announced that long-time softball head coach Lonni Alameda has been diagnosed with breast cancer. So far, she is continuing on as head coach, even while undergoing treatment at TMH.
"I am so thankful for the medical care from everyone at TMH," Coach Alameda says in a social media post. "Cancer is a difficult diagnosis to hear, but I've been encouraged by the progress so far in my treatment. I've experienced an overwhelming outpouring of support from so many people, and I am so thankful for their uplifting messages. My doctors and I are confident in the plan ahead of us to overcome this challenge."
Alameda has been the head coach for Seminoles softball since 2008. She's led the team to seven Women's College World Series appearances, most recently in 2023.
According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight women in the U.S. is diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. Annual mammograms are recommended starting at the age of 35, as early detection improves survival rates.
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