NCAA Division III softball tournament

Annual tournament in the United States

NCAA Division III softball tournament

Association| NCAA
Sport| College softball
Founded| 1982; 43 years ago (1982)
Division| Division III
No. of teams| 231
Country|  United States
Most recent
champion(s)| East Texas Baptist (2nd)
Most titles| TCNJ (6)
Broadcaster(s)| ESPNU
Official website| NCAA.com

The NCAA Division III softball tournament is the annual tournament hosted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to determine the champion of women's college softball among its Division III programs in the United States. The final portion of the tournament is also called the Division III Women's College World Series.[1] It has been held every year since 1982, except 2020.

The most successful team has been TCNJ, with six national titles.

The reigning national champions are East Texas Baptist, who won their second national title in 2024.

## History

[edit]

Softball was one of twelve women's sports added to the NCAA championship program for the 1981–82 school year, as the NCAA engaged in battle with the AIAW for sole governance of women's collegiate sports. The AIAW continued to conduct its established championship program in the same twelve (and other) sports; however, after a year of dual women's championships, the NCAA overtook the AIAW and usurped its authority and membership.

## Results

[edit]

NCAA Division III Softball Championship

Year  | Site  |  | Championship results
Winner  | Score  | Runner-up
1982
Details | Ewing, NJ | Eastern Connecticut State | 2–0  | Trenton State
1983
Details | Willimantic, CT | Trenton State | 7–0  | Buena Vista
1984
Details | De Pere, WI | Buena Vista | 3–1  | Trenton State
1985
Details | Willimantic, CT  | Eastern Connecticut State (2)  | 1–0  | Trenton State
1986
Details | Storm Lake, IA | Eastern Connecticut State (3)  | 1–0  | Central (IA)
1987
Details | Willimantic, CT  | Trenton State (2)  | 3–0  | Wisconsin–Whitewater
1988
Details | Elmhurst, IL | Central (IA) | 3–2  | Allegheny
1989
Details | Ewing, NJ  | Trenton State (3)  | 8–7
(9 inn.) | Eastern Connecticut State
1990
Details | Storm Lake, IA  | Eastern Connecticut State (4)  | 1–0  | Trenton State
1991
Details | Willimantic, CT  | Central (IA) (2)  | 4–0  | Eastern Connecticut State
1992
Details | Pella, IA | Trenton State (4)  | 4–0  | Buena Vista
1993
Details | Decatur, IL | Central (IA) (3)  | 7–3  | Trenton State
1994
Details | Salem, VA | Trenton State (5)  | 6–5  | Bridgewater State
1995
Details | Storm Lake, IA  | Chapman | 4–2  | Trenton State
1996
Details | Salem, VA  | Trenton State (6)  | 7–2  | Chapman
1997
Details | Eau Claire, WI | Simpson | 2–1
(9 inn.) | Montclair State
1998
Details | Salem, VA  | Wisconsin–Stevens Point | 3–1  | Chapman
1999
Details | Eau Claire, WI  | Simpson (2)  | 6–0  | Chapman
2000
Details | Salem, VA  | Saint Mary's (MN) | 5–0  | Chapman
2001
Details | Eau Claire, WI  | Muskingum | 5–1  | Central (IA)
2002
Details | Ithaca | 1–0  | Lake Forest
2003
Details | Salem, VA  | Central (IA) (4)  | 5–3  | Salisbury
2004
Details | St. Thomas (MN) | 2–0  | Moravian
2005
Details | Raleigh, NC | St. Thomas (MN) (2)  | 9–3  | Salisbury
2006
Details | Rutgers–Camden | 3–2  | St. Thomas (MN)
2007
Details | Salem, VA  | Linfield | 10–2
(6 inn.) | Washington–St. Louis
2008
Details | Wisconsin–Eau Claire | 4–3
(9 inn.) | Wisconsin–Whitewater
2009
Details | Montclair, NJ | Messiah | 2–0  | Coe
2010
Details | Eau Claire, WI  | East Texas Baptist | 5–4  | Linfield
2011
Details | Salem, VA  | Linfield (2)  | 6–2  | Christopher Newport
2012
Details | Pacific Lutheran | 3–0  | Linfield
2013
Details | Eau Claire, WI  | Tufts | 6–5  | SUNY Cortland
2014
Details | Tyler, TX | Tufts (2)  | 6–0  | Salisbury
2015
Details | Salem, VA  | Tufts (3)  | 7–4  | Texas–Tyler
2016
Details | Texas–Tyler | 7–0  | Messiah
2017
Details | Oklahoma City, OK | Virginia Wesleyan | 1–0  | St. John Fisher
2018
Details | Virginia Wesleyan (2)  | 3–1  | Illinois Wesleyan
2019
Details | Tyler, TX | Texas Lutheran | 6–1  | Emory
2020
Details | Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic
2021
Details | Salem, VA  |  | Virginia Wesleyan (3)  | 9–1
(5 inn.) | Texas Lutheran
2022
Details | Christopher Newport | 3–0  | Trine
2023
Details | Marshall, TX | Trine | 2–1  | Salisbury
2024
Details | East Texas Baptist (2)  | 9–5  | Belhaven
2025
Details | Bloomington, IL |  |  |
2026
Details | Salem, VA  |  |  |

## Champions

[edit]

### Active programs

[edit]

Team | Titles | Years

|
|

TCNJ
(Trenton State) | 6  | 1983, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996
Eastern Connecticut | 4  | 1982, 1985, 1986, 1990
Central (IA) | 4  | 1988, 1991, 1993, 2003
Tufts | 3  | 2013, 2014, 2015
Virginia Wesleyan | 3  | 2017, 2018, 2021
East Texas Baptist | 2  | 2010, 2024
Linfield | 2  | 2007, 2011
Simpson | 2  | 1997, 1999
Trine | 1  | 2023
Christopher Newport | 1  | 2022
Texas Lutheran | 1  | 2019
Pacific Lutheran | 1  | 2012
Messiah | 1  | 2009
Wisconsin–Eau Claire | 1  | 2008
Rutgers–Camden | 1  | 2006
Ithaca | 1  | 2002
Muskingum | 1  | 2001
Saint Mary's (MN) | 1  | 2000
Wisconsin–Stevens Point | 1  | 1998
Chapman | 1  | 1995
Buena Vista | 1  | 1984

### Former programs

[edit]

Team | Titles | Years

|
|

St. Thomas (MN) | 2  | 2004, 2005
UT Tyler | 1  | 2016

## See also

[edit]

* College softball
* NCAA Division I softball tournament
* NCAA Division II softball tournament
* AIAW Intercollegiate Women's Softball Champions
* NAIA Softball Championship

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "DIVISION III SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS RECORDS BOOK" (PDF). ncaa.org. NCAA. Retrieved 24 January 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* NCAA Division III softball webpage

* v
* t
* e

National Collegiate Athletic Association

NCAA|

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Single-division or
National Collegiate sports
and championships|

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Litigation|

* NCAA v. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma (1984)
* NCAA v. Smith (1999)
* O'Bannon v. NCAA (2015)
* Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association (2018)
* National Collegiate Athletic Association v. Alston (2021)
* House v. NCAA (2024)

Related topics|

* College athletics in the United States
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* NCAA University Division
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* events listed in italics have been discontinued
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* v
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Major women's sport leagues in North America

Leagues
by sport|

| Basketball|

WNBA
Unrivaled
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U Sports

|

Ice hockey|

PWHL
NCAA Division I
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U Sports
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WWHL (defunct)
PHF (defunct)

Soccer|

NWSL
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Liga MX
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NAIA
U Sports
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USL
USL (1995) (defunct)
Northern Super League (beginning play in 2025)

Softball|

AFP
AUSL
WPF
NCAA Division I (WCWS)
NAIA
NPF (defunct)

Gridiron
football|

WNFC
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MWFL
WWCFL
X League
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WAFL (defunct)
WFA (defunct)
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WPFL (defunct)

Rugby union|

WER
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Lacrosse|

UWLX (defunct)
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WLL

Volleyball|

Athletes Unlimited
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Other sports|

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| NCAA|

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|

NAIA|

Cross country
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