The NCAA Division III softball tournament is the annual tournament hosted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to determine the team 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.
 | |
| Sport | College softball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1982 |
| No. of teams | 231 |
| Country |  United States |
| Most recent champion(s) | East Texas Baptist (2nd) |
| Most titles | TCNJ (6) |
| TV partner(s) | ESPNU |
| Official website | NCAA.com |
The most successful team in championship history is TCNJ, which has six national titles.
The reigning national champions are East Texas Baptist, who won their second national title in 2024.
History
editSoftball 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 conquered the AIAW and usurped its authority and membership.[1]
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
editActive programs
edit| Team | Titles | Years |
|---|---|---|
| TCNJ | 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 |
| Texas–Tyler | 1 | 2016 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Division III Softball Championship Results" (PDF). NCAA. Retrieved January 15, 2016.