Prattville softball’s Cadence Forrester commits to Gulf Coast State College

Cadence Forrester’s commitment to Gulf Coast State College added another college destination to a Prattville softball program that turned an 11-23 season in 2025 into a 25-16 spring and kept building recruiting momentum. Forrester becomes the latest Lion to move on after a year in which multiple teammates also advanced to the next level.

Forrester said she knew early that she wanted to play college softball, but the recruiting process helped her narrow the path. An early introduction from Prattville assistant coach Trey Lacy started the conversation, and visits in January and May gave her a closer look at Gulf Coast State’s academics, facilities and atmosphere.

That fit mattered. Forrester pointed to the school’s state-of-the-art chemistry lab, the academic opportunities around it and the appeal of being close to the beach and her family in making the decision. The choice blended softball ambitions with the kind of practical considerations that shape so many high school recruits as they move toward college.

Her development at Prattville also played a central role. Forrester credited head coach Chris Steiner and travel coach Brad Rooker with helping her grow as a player and deepen her love for the game. At Prattville High School, where softball fields JV and varsity teams and typically carries about 20 to 25 girls in the program, that kind of development has become part of the school’s formula.

Gulf Coast State gives Forrester a program with its own championship history. The Lady Commodores are in Panama City, Florida, and compete in NJCAA Division I and the Panhandle Conference. The program lists Scot Thomas as head coach, with Shellie Littlefield as assistant coach and Bob Thayer as special advisor to the head coach.

The college resume is substantial. Gulf Coast State has won Panhandle Conference titles in 1984, 1987, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2013, along with FCSAA state championships in 1998, 2001 and 2006. The program also finished as NJCAA national runner-up in 2001, 2004 and 2006.

The timing of Forrester’s commitment matches a strong stretch for the Gulf Coast State program. The Lady Commodores finished the 2025-26 season at 39-16 overall and 11-8 in conference play, and Thomas reached 1,000 career college coaching wins on March 14, 2026. The program’s June Tuesday Night Lights sessions also pointed to an active recruiting presence.

For Prattville softball, Forrester’s decision is more than a single signing. It reflects a program that has turned on-field improvement into visible college interest, and a roster pipeline that now has proof of concept for the next wave of Lions.