Florida State University Athletics

Softball

Kaleigh Rafter
Kaleigh Rafter
Kaleigh Rafter



After two seasons as the Seminoles' volunteer assistant coach, Kaleigh Rafter was promoted to assistant coach prior to the 2024 season. Rafter also currently serves as the head coach for the Canadian National Team. Rafter enters her fourth season as an assistant coach for the Noles in 2027. Rafter primarily works with the Seminoles' catchers and offense.

During her time at FSU, the Noles have won two ACC Regular season Championships and one ACC Tournament Championship. FSU has finished in the top 20 in runs per game in all three seasons under Rafter and has broken the batting average school record in each of the three seasons Rafter has been there. Rafter has a 147-38 record at FSU. 

Rafter competed with the Canadian Women’s National Team for 15 seasons. She is a two-time Olympian, a four-time Pan American Games medallist (one gold; three silver) and represented Canada in five WBSC World Cups, winning three bronze medals. She also won a gold medal at the 2007 Universiade (World University Games) and played two seasons of professional softball in Japan and one in the National Pro Fastpitch League.


While competing with the Canadian National Team, Rafter had the opportunity to coach at the NCAA level, serving as a student assistant coach and volunteer coach in several stints at Florida State University (2009-2010; 2012-2013; 2015 and currently) and as an assistant coach at the University of New York at Buffalo (2015-2016) and the University of Virginia (2016-2019). Rafter is a Competition – Development Certified coach in the Coaching Association of Canada’s National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).


Rafter’s collegiate career was split between the University of Detroit (2005-07) and Florida State University (2009) where she transferred after the 2008 Olympics to join Coach Lonni Alameda who had worked with Team Canada for the Games. She set a Detroit single season homerun record in 2007 while earning Horizon League Player of the Year honours. Rafter played professionally in Japan for Team Honda for two seasons.