Pine Grove softball star chooses Florida State

Pine Grove junior Callee Leffler has accepted an offer and made a verbal commitment to play softball at Florida State University.

Callee Leffler has been working toward this day her whole life.

Pine Grove’s softball star — still just a junior — announced her college choice Saturday on Twitter/X, accepting an offer and giving a verbal commitment to play college softball at Florida State University. The Seminoles are one of the premier programs in the country, consistently ranking among the top 10. Under head coach Lonni Alameda, Florida State won the 2018 NCAA Division I Women’s College World Series Championship and finished as national runner-up in 2021 and 2023.

In a recent Line Drive Softball story, Leffler said the coaching staff, facilities, togetherness and success of the program were major factors in her selecting Florida State.

“It’s such a family atmosphere,” Leffler said Monday afternoon. “Once I set foot on campus, it was welcoming from the start. I’m a big family person. It’s everything I want in a program.”

When she was 10, Leffler met Alameda at a camp in New Jersey. Since then, the Lefflers have sent videos of Callee’s progress to Florida State.

A five-tool player who can hit, hit with power, run, field and throw, Leffler plays for the Newtown Rock Gold Garvey 18U travel team. She excelled against top competition, hitting .500 with six home runs and a 1.622 OPS in the Boulder IDT and PGF Nationals where she competed against many of the elite 18U club players across the nation.

For the summer, Leffler, who bats from the left side and throws left-handed, hit .426 with 10 home runs, 21 steals and a 1.281 OPS.

At Pine Grove, Leffler has put up staggering numbers. In two seasons, she’s hitting .570 (81-for-142) with a .649 on-base percentage. She’s scored 77 runs and has 51 RBIs out of the leadoff spot in the lineup. Leffler has stolen 42 bases and slugged 13 doubles, 21 triples and 12 home runs.

Ranked as the No. 14 overall prospect in the country in the recent 2026 Line Drive HOT 100 rankings, Leffler also rated No. 4 overall in the Northeast Region as well as tied for No. 7 at the Outfield Position nationally by Line Drive Softball.

“I’ve been dreaming about this (since I was young),” Leffler said. “There’s a lot of pressure off. It’s a relief. Now I can just go play.”