NCAA Division III softball tournament
{{Short description|Annual tournament in the United States}}
{{Infobox Sports league
| current_season =
| logo = NCAA logo.svg
| pixels = 125
| sport = College softball
| association = NCAA
| division = Division III
| founded = {{start date and age|1982}}
| teams = 231
| country = {{USA}}
| champion = East Texas Baptist (2nd)
| most_champs = TCNJ (6)
| TV = ESPNU
| website = [https://www.ncaa.com/sports/softball/d3 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.{{cite web |title=DIVISION III SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS RECORDS BOOK |url=http://fs.ncaa.org.s3.amazonaws.com/Docs/stats/SB_Records/D3champs.pdf |website=ncaa.org |publisher=NCAA |access-date=24 January 2025}} 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
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
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|National Collegiate Athletic Association|color=white}} colspan=6|NCAA Division III Softball Championship |
|---|
| rowspan="2"|Year
! rowspan="2"|Site ! rowspan="40"| ! colspan=4|Championship results |
| Winner
!Score !Runner-up |
| 1982 Details | 2–0 |
| 1983 Details | Trenton State | 7–0 |
| 1984 Details | Buena Vista | 3–1 | Trenton State |
| 1985 Details |Willimantic, CT | Eastern Connecticut State (2) | 1–0 | Trenton State |
| 1986 Details | Eastern Connecticut State (3) | 1–0 |
| 1987 Details |Willimantic, CT | Trenton State (2) | 3–0 |
| 1988 Details | Central (IA) | 3–2 |
| 1989 Details |Ewing, NJ | Trenton State (3) | 8–7 | 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 | Trenton State (4) | 4–0 | Buena Vista |
| 1993 Details | Central (IA) (3) | 7–3 | Trenton State |
| 1994 Details | Trenton State (5) | 6–5 |
| 1995 Details |Storm Lake, IA | Chapman | 4–2 | Trenton State |
| 1996 Details |Salem, VA | Trenton State (6) | 7–2 | Chapman |
| 1997 Details | Simpson | 2–1 |
| 1998 Details |Salem, VA | 3–1 | Chapman |
| 1999 Details |Eau Claire, WI | Simpson (2) | 6–0 | Chapman |
| 2000 Details |Salem, VA | 5–0 | Chapman |
| 2001 Details |rowspan="2"|Eau Claire, WI | 5–1 | Central (IA) |
| 2002 Details | Ithaca | 1–0 |
| 2003 Details |rowspan="2"|Salem, VA | Central (IA) (4) | 5–3 |
| 2004 Details | 2–0 | Moravian |
| 2005 Details |rowspan="2"| Raleigh, NC | St. Thomas (MN) (2) | 9–3 | Salisbury |
| 2006 Details | 3–2 | St. Thomas (MN) |
| 2007 Details |rowspan="2"|Salem, VA | Linfield | 10–2 |
| 2008 Details | 4–3 | Wisconsin–Whitewater |
| 2009 Details | Messiah | 2–0 | Coe |
| 2010 Details |Eau Claire, WI | 5–4 | Linfield |
| 2011 Details |rowspan="2"|Salem, VA | Linfield (2) | 6–2 |
| 2012 Details | 3–0 | Linfield |
| 2013 Details |Eau Claire, WI | Tufts | 6–5 |
| 2014 Details | Tufts (2) | 6–0 | Salisbury |
| 2015 Details |rowspan="2"|Salem, VA | Tufts (3) | 7–4 |
| 2016 Details |7–0 |Messiah |
| 2017 Details |rowspan="2"|Oklahoma City, OK |1–0 |
| 2018 Details |Virginia Wesleyan (2) |3–1 |
| 2019 Details |6–1 |
| 2020 Details |colspan=5 align=center|Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic |
| 2021 Details |rowspan="2"|Salem, VA ! rowspan="6"| |Virginia Wesleyan (3) |9–1 |Texas Lutheran |
| 2022 Details |3–0 |
| 2023 Details |rowspan="2"|Marshall, TX |Trine |2–1 |Salisbury |
| 2024 Details |East Texas Baptist (2) |9–5 |
| 2025 Details | | | |
| 2026 Details |Salem, VA | | | |
Champions
=Active programs=
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" | ||
| Team | Titles | Years |
|---|---|---|
| style={{NCAA color cell|New Jersey Lions}}| {{nowrap|{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|TCNJ Lions|TCNJ Lions|TCNJ (Trenton State)}}}} | 6 | align=left| 1983, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Eastern Connecticut Warriors}}| {{nowrap|Eastern Connecticut State Warriors}}
| 4 | align=left| 1982, 1985, 1986, 1990 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Central Dutch}}| {{nowrap|Central Dutch}}
| 4 | align=left| 1988, 1991, 1993, 2003 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Tufts Jumbos}}| {{nowrap|Tufts Jumbos}}
| 3 | align=left| 2013, 2014, 2015 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Virginia Wesleyan Blue Marlins}}| {{nowrap|Virginia Wesleyan Marlins}}
| 3 | align=left| 2017, 2018, 2021 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|East Texas Baptist Tigers}}| {{nowrap|{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|East Texas Baptist Tigers|East Texas Baptist Tigers|East Texas Baptist}}}}
| 2 | align=left| 2010, 2024 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Linfield Wildcats}}| {{nowrap|Linfield Wildcats}}
| 2 | align=left| 2007, 2011 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Simpson Storm}}| {{nowrap|{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Simpson Storm|Simpson Storm|Simpson}}}}
| 2 | align=left| 1997, 1999 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Trine Thunder}}| {{nowrap|{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Trine Thunder|Trine Thunder|Trine}}}}
| 1 | align=left| 2023 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Christopher Newport Captains}}| {{nowrap|Christopher Newport Captains}}
| 1 | align=left| 2022 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Texas Lutheran Bulldogs}}| {{nowrap|{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Texas Lutheran Bulldogs|Texas Lutheran Bulldogs|Texas Lutheran}}}}
| 1 | align=left| 2019 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Pacific Lutheran Lutes}}| {{nowrap|{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Pacific Lutheran Lutes|Pacific Lutheran Lutes|Pacific Lutheran}}}}
| 1 | align=left| 2012 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Messiah Falcons}}| {{nowrap|Messiah Falcons}}
| 1 | align=left| 2009 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Wisconsin–Eau Claire Blugolds}}| {{nowrap|{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Wisconsin–Eau Claire Blugolds|Wisconsin–Eau Claire Blugolds|Wisconsin–Eau Claire}}}}
| 1 | align=left| 2008 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Rutgers–Camden Scarlet Raptors}}| {{nowrap|Rutgers–Camden Scarlet Raptors}}
| 1 | align=left| 2006 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Ithaca Bombers}}| {{nowrap|Ithaca Bombers}}
| 1 | align=left| 2002 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Muskingum Fighting Muskies}}| {{nowrap|Muskingum Fighting Muskies}}
| 1 | align=left| 2001 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Saint Mary's Cardinals}}| {{nowrap|Saint Mary's Cardinals}}
| 1 | align=left| 2000 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Wisconsin–Stevens Point Pointers}}| {{nowrap|{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Wisconsin–Stevens Point Pointers|Wisconsin–Stevens Point Pointers|Wisconsin–Stevens Point}}}}
| 1 | align=left| 1998 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Chapman Panthers}}| {{nowrap|Chapman Panthers}}
| 1 | align=left| 1995 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|Buena Vista Beavers}}| {{nowrap|{{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Buena Vista Beavers|Buena Vista Beavers|Buena Vista}}}}
| 1 | align=left| 1984 |
=Former programs=
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" | ||
| Team | Titles | Years |
|---|---|---|
| style={{NCAA color cell|St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies}}| {{nowrap|St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies softball}}
| 2 | align=left| 2004, 2005 | ||
| style={{NCAA color cell|UT Tyler Patriots}}| {{nowrap|UT Tyler Patriots}}
| 1 | align=left| 2016 |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.ncaa.com/sports/softball/d3 NCAA Division III softball webpage]
{{National Collegiate Athletic Association}}
{{Major women's sport leagues in North America}}