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Kalei Harding

Florida State University '24

Hometown: Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Four-Time All-Atlantic Coast Conference

Personal: Harding is the daughter of Sherry and Kelly Harding. She majored in sports management with dreams of becoming a director of operations. She lists Ellie Cooper, player development director for Florida State softball, as a person who has made a difference in her life. She models her game after Shay Knighten. In addition to playing beach volleyball and pickleball, she also enjoys cooking dinner at times.

2024 AUX Season: Harding claimed a share of 18th place with middle infielder Erin Coffel on the final leaderboard after accumulating 950 points, including 730 win points and 180 stat points. She reached 100 or more leaderboard points in a game five times and received starting assignments in all 12 games as a rookie. Harding had a .316 batting average with 12 hits, including three doubles and three home runs. She set a new Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball AUX single-season record with 17 runs batted in and also drew five walks. Harding was one of four players in the league to hit two home runs in a game with two blasts against Team Nickles on June 25. She hit safely in eight of the first nine games, including a two-hit performance against Team Alo. Harding set an Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball single-game record after driving in nine runs against Team Nickles as part of a 3-for-5 effort in an extra-inning loss, also securing a season-high 170 leaderboard points in a 13-12 setback. Additionally, she received a MVP 3 notice on June 11 against Team Wiggins after hitting her first professional home run, a three-run blast in the first inning, and added a 2-for-4 performance against Team Alo on June 17.

At Florida State: Harding was a four-year letter winner at Florida State who started 246 of 251 games from 2021-2024. She compiled a .311 career batting average, and accumulated 57 career doubles, which is the second-highest total in program history. Harding is third in Florida State history with 46 career home runs and ranks fourth on the Seminoles’ career ledger with 208 runs batted in. She amassed 236 hits while scoring 168 runs for the Seminoles. Harding earned NFCA All-Southeast Region distinction as a sophomore and senior, and was a four-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference performer who received First-Team status as a senior. She also claimed a pair of Third-Team commendations, in addition to being named to the All-ACC Second Team as a sophomore. 


Harding was a three-time ACC All-Tournament Team honoree. During her senior season, Harding started in all 61 games, hitting a career-best .342 with 15 home runs and 65 runs batted in. She also had 66 hits, including 14 doubles, while drawing a career-high 27 walks. Harding spent time playing left field, right field, third base, and first base during the 2024 season. She matched the Florida State single-game record by driving in seven runs against Charlotte on February 9, 2024, and blasted a pair of home runs and scored twice against the 49ers. 


Harding went 4-for-5 with two runs scored against UCLA on February 16, 2024, and posted a 3-for-3 effort with two runs scored and two runs batted in at Pittsburgh on March 23, 2024. As a junior, Harding hit .311 with 10 home runs and 48 runs batted in, guiding the Seminoles to an NCAA Women’s College World Series berth. She posted a 3-for-3 showing with two doubles against Purdue during opening weekend, driving in four runs and scoring twice, and belted two home runs against Arkansas on February 17, 2023. As a sophomore, Harding appeared in all 61 games for the Seminoles with 60 starts, ranking second on the team with 15 home runs while pacing the squad with 54 runs batted in. She finished the season with a .304 batting average and 11 doubles and was named ACC Tournament MVP after hitting a home run in all three of the Seminoles’ contests. 


Harding hit a pair of home runs as part of a 3-for-4 effort against North Carolina on April 17, 2022, and drove in four runs while scoring twice against the Tar Heels. Harding earned a starting assignment in 58 of 62 games as a freshman, leading the Seminoles with 42 runs batted in while batting .278 with 10 doubles, six home runs, and three triples. She posted a 4-for-4 performance with three runs batted in against Georgia Tech on February 18, 2021, and led Florida State to victory over Oklahoma in the first game of the Women’s College World Series Championship Series by going 3-for-4 with a home run and four runs batted in. Harding also posted her first career multi-homer game at Syracuse on April 18, 2021, with a pair of homers.


Headshot of Kalei Harding

Career Stats

Year
GP
GS
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
HP
SO
AVG
OB%
TB
SF
SH
SB-ATT
GP-GS
SLG%
CS
2024 Championship*
13
13
38
3
9
3
-
2
7
4
-
12
.237
.310
18
-
-
0-0
13-13
.474
-
2024 AUX Softball
12
12
38
8
12
3
-
3
17
5
-
10
.316
.395
24
-
-
0-0
12-12
.632
-

*The AUSL All-Star Cup was known as the Championship season through 2024.

Game Log

Date
Home Team
Away Team
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
HP
SO
AVG
OB%
TB
SF
SH
SB-ATT
GP-GS
SLG%
CS
8/25/24
Team OcasioTeam Kilfoyl
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
0-0
0-0
-
-
8/24/24
Team CorrickTeam Kilfoyl
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
0-0
0-0
-
-
8/23/24
Team KilfoylTeam Lorenz
3
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
.333
.333
1
-
-
0-0
1-1
.333
-
8/18/24
Team KilfoylTeam Faraimo
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
0-0
1-1
-
-
8/17/24
Team LorenzTeam Kilfoyl
2
-
1
1
-
-
-
1
-
-
.500
.667
2
-
-
0-0
1-1
1.000
-
8/16/24
Team PalaciosTeam Kilfoyl
2
1
1
-
-
-
-
2
-
-
.500
.750
1
-
-
0-0
1-1
.500
-
8/12/24
Team PalaciosTeam Lorenz
4
1
1
-
-
1
3
-
-
2
.250
.250
4
-
-
0-0
1-1
1.000
-
8/11/24
Team McQuillinTeam Palacios
4
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
0-0
1-1
-
-
8/10/24
Team KilfoylTeam Palacios
4
-
2
1
-
-
1
-
-
-
.500
.500
3
-
-
0-0
1-1
.750
-
8/4/24
Team KilfoylTeam McQuillin
3
1
1
-
-
1
3
-
-
1
.333
.333
4
-
-
0-0
1-1
1.333
-
8/3/24
Team KilfoylTeam Lorenz
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
0-0
1-1
-
-
8/2/24
Team WallaceTeam Kilfoyl
4
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
.250
.250
1
-
-
0-0
1-1
.250
-
7/28/24
Team AlexanderTeam Denham
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
0-0
1-1
-
-
7/27/24
Team AlexanderTeam Svekis
2
-
1
1
-
-
-
1
-
1
.500
.667
2
-
-
0-0
1-1
1.000
-
7/26/24
Team RomeroTeam Alexander
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
0-0
1-1
-
-

*The AUSL All-Star Cup was known as the Championship season through 2024.

Highlights

AUSL Draft Report Cards: Each Team Analyzed

The AUSL Inaugural Draft wrapped up on Wednesday night, with the coaches and general managers building the foundation for their 2025 teams. We’ve taken a swing at grading each team’s draft while highlighting where each team excelled and could improve.

Read More
Volts backdrop at AUSL Inaugural Draft

Awards & Honors

Four-Time All-Atlantic Coast Conference
Three-Time ACC All-Tournament Team
Two-Time NFCA All-Southeast Region
No. 2 in Florida State with 57 career doubles
No. 3 in Florida State history with 46 home runs

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a huge good luck to Alisa and @wiusoftball this season! 💖
it’s game dayyy for @laniricketts10 💖
let’s goooo @kaylakowalik 💖
good luck this season @aubrey_lynne10 💖
this duo is about to be lethal 💅
it’s getting hot in here 🥵

this roster is going to bring some serious 🔥 this season

#AUSL
with the final pick in the 2025 Inaugural AUSL draft the Blaze select … 

✨ @kaleiharding , from @fsusoftball
ANOTHER GREAT CATCH 🤝

catcher, Taylor Edwards, has been selected as the 44th pick in the Inaugural AUSL Draft 💖
our first pick already reppin’ 💖
BRIGGS BLAZIN’ 🔥

we have selected outfielder, Ciara Briggs!
with our next selction in the 2025 AUSL Inaugural Draft, we have selected Alana Vawter 🔥

welcome to the team 💖
BAYLEE 🤝 BLAZE 

excited to have infielder, @bayleekling , @uwsoftball alum as the the number 31 pick!
ENERGYYYYY 🔥

with our next selection in the 2025 Inaugural Draft, we have selected, catcher @kaylakowalik as the #28 pick!
Boomer ➡️ Blaze 🔥

excited to welcome pitcher, @laniricketts10 ! we’re excited to have you 💖
with our next selction in the 2025 AUSL Inaugural Draft, we have selected Anissa Urtez 💖

we’re so excited to have you 🫶
pick #13 is ours and we have selected outfielder from LSU

Aliyah Andrews ✨
bringin’ the HEAT 🔥

we have selected infielder, @aubrey_lynne10 as the number 12 pick in the 2025 AUSL draft!
with our next selction in the 2025 AUSL Inaugural Draft, we have selected pitcher, Aleshia Ocasio 💖
the pick is in! the blaze have selected Carley Hoover, a pitcher from LSU ✨

we’re so excited to have you 🫶
all Blaze. all BUSINESS. 💅

#AUSL