Florida freshman Caroline Stanton joined elite company as she was named the 2025-26 Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year, the organization announced on Tuesday.The award is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation's best high school athletes for their excellence in sport, academics and community.Stanton, who enrolled a semester early at Florida, became the fourth Gator to win the award and third in the last four years, joining Ava Brown (2023) and Keagan Rothrock (2022).Georgia is one of five states that plays high school softball in the fall which allowed Stanton to reclassify and redshirt during the 2026 collegiate season.Buford softball pitcher Caroline Stanton got quite the celebrity appearance for her Gatorade National POTY trophyFULL STORY HERE⬇️https://t.co/fAiDKE2rzZ pic.twitter.com/whHr51uMy7— Jack Leo (@theleoreport) June 10, 2026“We are recognizing Caroline Stanton as the best high school softball player in the nation because of her dedication to excel as an athlete, a student and a leader within her community," said Jennifer Schmit, Sr. Director, Gatorade Brand Marketing. “Her commitment to going above and beyond in all three pillars of the award embodies what it takes to be a Gatorade Player of the Year, and we’re thrilled to be celebrating her achievements.” Before redshirting, Stanton led Buford High School to a 6A State Championship in November, the third state title of her career.The two-way player was the No. 1-ranked recruit in her class by Softball America and was also named the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Georgia.2025-26 Gatorade Softball Player of the Year State WinnersAlabama: Corey Goguts | Sr. | OF/1B | Hewitt-Trussville HSAlaska: Taylor Passard | Fr. | SS/OF | Colony HS Arizona: Emma Reynolds | Jr. | SS | Queen Creek HS Arkansas: Skylar Sterritt | Sr. | SS | Sheridan HSCalifornia: Ayla Tuua | Sr. | RHP/1B | Destiny Christian AcademyColorado: Emmaline Humphreys | Sr. | RHP | Holy Family HSConnecticut: Vivian Knott | Jr. | LHP/1B | Darien HSDelaware: Bayli Glanden | Sr. | SS | Lake Forest HSD.C.: Lucie Touomou | Jr. | 1B | Georgetown Visitation Prepatory SchoolFlorida: Addison Allaire | Jr. | RHP | Trenton HSGeorgia: Carolina Staton | Sr. | RHP/UTL | Buford HSHawaii: Hinano Bautista | Jr. | LHP/INF | Mililani HSIdaho: Hailey Brennan | Jr. | RHP | Owyee HSIllinois: Caidence Phillips | Sr. | RHP/3B | Cartersville HSIndiana: Brynley Erb | Sr. | SS | Western HSIowa:: Sophia Schlader | So. | RHP | Waukee Northwest HSKansas: Addison Sabers | Jr. | 1B | Saint Thomas Aquinas HSKentucky: McLaine Hudson | Sr. | SS | South Warren HSLouisiana: Kynzee Anderson | Sr. | RHP | Calvary Baptist AcademyMaine: Addison DeRoche | Jr. | RHP | Cheverus HSMaryland: Ava Twilley | Sr. | RHP/INF | Mardela HSMassachusetts: Bella Bourque | Jr. | SS | Taunton HSMichigan: Piper Cavanaugh | Sr. | RHP | Traverse City Central HSMinnesota: Karianne Drury | Sr. | C | Forest Lake Area HSMississippi: Lucy Cochran | Sr. | RHP/INF | East Union HSMissouri: Kelsie Donaldson | Sr. | LHP | Raymore-Peculiar HSMontana: Tatum Bush | Jr. | RHP/1B | Billings West HSNebraska: Alisha McMurtry | Sr. | RHP | Bellevue East HSNevada: Taylor Johns | Sr. | SS | Palo Verde HSNew Jersey: Madison McDougall | Sr. | RHP | St. John Vianney HSNew Mexico: Malie 'Moogie' Satete | So. | RHP/C | West Las Vegas HSNew York: Ava Papaleo | Sr. | OF | The Ursuline SchoolNorth Carolina: Morgan Maxwell | Jr. | LHP/1B | West Forsyth HSNorth Dakota: Jocelyn Berg | Jr. | RHP/INF | Red River HSOhio: Thea Staten | Sr. | RHP | Bryan HSOklahoma: Zoie Griffin | Jr. | RHP | Tahlequah HSOregon: Sophia Navarrete | Fr. | RHP/SS | Vale HSPennsylvania: Sydney Gonglik | Jr. | RHP/SS/1B | Bentworth HSRhode Island: Adriana Jeannenot | Jr. | RHP | Chariho HSSouth Carolina: Aspen Boulware | Jr. | SS | Gray Collegiate AcademySouth Dakota: Macy Bryant | Sr. | SS | Jefferson HSTennessee: Bailee Shelton | Sr. | RHP/SS/OF | McNairy Central HSTexas: Ella Kate 'EK' Smith | Sr. | RHP/SS | Katy HSUtah: Kennadie 'KJ' Blackmer | Jr. | RHP/INF | Box Elder HS Vermont: Megan Gonyeau | Sr. | RHP | Bellows Free AcademyVirginia: Kaylee Hodges | Jr. | RHP | Matoaca HSWashington: Brooklyn Pettit | So. | RHP/OF | Graham-Kapowsin HS West Virginia: Drea Watts | Sr. | RHP | Cabell Midland HSWisconsin: Bitsy Palicka | So. | RHP | Sussex Hamilton HSWyoming: Brooklyn Lake | Jr. | RHP/1B | Cheyenne East HSAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow