McLaine Hudson named 2024-25 Gatorade Kentucky Softball Player of the Year
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Following another season of spectacular numbers put up for South Warren softball, rising junior shortstop McLaine Hudson was recognized with a prestigious national honor on Monday morning.
Hudson was named 2024-25 Gatorade Kentucky Softball Player of the Year, an award given out annually to the most elite athletes across the nation.
In addition to leading the Lady Spartans in five major offensive categories (batting average, hits, runs, triples and stolen bases) in 2025, the University of Kentucky softball commit found herself high on the state leaderboards once again.
Out of all softball players in the commonwealth, the Lady Spartan (as of publication) ranked third in home runs (20), second in hits (73), tied for second in triples with teammate Kinleigh Russell (10), second in slugging percentage (1.390) and first in runs scored (77).
While just a junior in 2025, Hudson managed to achieve a career record during the 4th Region Tournament, climbing to the top spot for most career hits in the state of Kentucky, and added a couple more past that to land at 370 lifetime hits (and counting).
Hudson is just the second player from the 4th Region to bring home the national award, with the other being Greenwood’s Brittany York back in the 2005-06 season.
