Who is Northeast Florida's all-time best softball player? Vote now

Who is the best softball player in the storied history of the First Coast? The debate is on. As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary this summer, USA TODAY Sports will celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time.

To accompany the national honors, the USA TODAY Network is also recognizing the athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states, including right here in Northeast Florida. These softball honors will form part of a series, selected by a statewide panel of USA TODAY Network experts, to roll out through 2026. This time, the USA TODAY Network is honoring the Jacksonville area's softball stars.

Here are our selections for 10 softball players who defined the sport in Northeast Florida, dating from the 1993-1994 transition from slow-pitch to fast-pitch softball. These 10 players, listed in alphabetical order, all excelled at the high school level and progressed to further accomplishments. More: The best all-time football players from Florida: VOTE: Northeast Florida's all-time best player in softball Cindy Hudgins, Clay Before Hudgins came along, Northeast Florida was still waiting for its first-ever FHSAA fast-pitch championship.

That all changed in 2001, when Hudgins won the trophy for the Blue Devils with a 20-2 record, 0. 63 ERA, 190 strikeouts and a . 456 average at the plate -- all while fighting through a back fracture.