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sifoeeprocess.com | June 5, 2025

Trine wins 2025 ��ݮ��վ��߿� DIII softball championship

Trine wins the 2025 DIII softball championship

Trine secured its second national title in three years with a victory over Virginia Wesleyan in the 2025 ��ݮ��վ��߿� DIII softball championship. Both championships have come under the leadership of head coach Donnie Danklefsen.

The 2025 tournament began with a 64-team field announced during the selection show on Monday, May 12, featuring automatic qualifiers from conference champions and at-large berths. The championship finals wrapped up Thursday, June 5, at Inspiration Field in Bloomington, Illinois.

2025 ��ݮ��վ��߿� DIII softball tournament bracket

➡️ Click or tap here to see the interactive bracket | Finals bracket | Super regional brackets | Regional brackets

2025 ��ݮ��վ��߿� DIII softball championship bracket

2025 DIII softball championship schedule

National championship series (best of three) — Tuesday-Thursday, June 3-5
- Tuesday, June 3
  - Game 1: Trine 8, Virginia Wesleyan 1
- Thursday, June 5
  - Game 2: Trine 3, Virginia Wesleyan 1
    - TRINE WINS THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Selection show | Monday, May 12
- Rewatch the selection show here
Regionals | Thursday-Saturday, May 15-17 | Click or tap here for regional brackets | All times eastern
- Angola, Indiana – Trine
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 Trine 8, No. 4 Pittsburg-Greensburg 3
    - Game 2: No. 2 Baldwin Wallace 13, No. 3 Wisconsin-Eau Claire 3
  - Friday, May 16
    - Game 3: No. 1 Trine 9, No. 2 Baldwin Wallace 1
    - Game 4: No. 3 Wisconsin-Eau Clair 4, No. 4 Pittsburg-Greensburg 1
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 5: No. 3 Wisconsin-Eau Clair 8, No. 2 Baldwin Wallace 7 (10 innings)
      - loser eliminated
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 6: No. 1 Trine 9, No. 3 Wisconsin-Eau Clair 1
- Bethlehem, Pennsylvania – Moravian
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 Moravian 10, No. 4 Worcester State 2
    - Game 2: No. 3 Williams 4, No. 2 Eastern 1
  - Friday, May 16
    - Game 3: No. 1 Moravian 1, No. 3 Williams 0
    - Game 4: No 2 Eastern 6, No. 4 Worcester State 4 (8 innings)
      - loser eliminated
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 5: No. 2 Eastern 4, No. 3 Williams 0
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 6: No. 1 Moravian 3, No. 2 Eastern 1
- Bloomington, Illinois – Illinois Wesleyan
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 Illinois Wesleyan 6, No. 4 Bethany Lutheran 3
    - Game 2: No. 3 Nebraska Wesleyan 2, No. 2 Greenville 1
  - Friday, May 16
    - Game 3: No. 1 Illinois Wesleyan 6, No. 3 Nebraska Wesleyan 1
    - Game 4: No. 4 Bethany Lutheran 4, No. 2 Greenville 1
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 5: No. 4 Bethany Lutheran 1, No. 3 Nebraska Wesleyan 0
      - loser eliminated
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 6: No. 1 Illinois Wesleyan 5, No. 4 Bethany Lutheran 3
- Cleveland, Ohio – Case Western Reserve
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 Wisconsin-Whitewater 5, No. 4 Penn College 0
    - Game 2: No. 2 Case Western Reserve 10, No. 3 Lebanon Valley 2
  - Friday, May 16
    - Game 3: No. 1 Wisconsin-Whitewater 7, No. 2 Case Western Reserve 6
    - Game 4: No. 3 Lebanon Valley 5, No. 4 Penn College 1
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 5: No. 2 Case Western Reserve 7, No. 3 Lebanon Valley 1
      - loser eliminated
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 6: No. 1 Wisconsin-Whitewater 7, No. 2 Case Western Reserve 3
- Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – Gettysburg
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 Gettysburg 8, No. 4 John Jay 0
    - Game 2: No. 3 MIT 8, No. 2 Ramapo 1
  - Friday, May 16
    - Game 3: No. 1 Gettysburg 9, No. 3 MIT 4
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 4: No. 2 Ramapo 5, No. 4 John Jay 0
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 5: No. 2 Ramapo 7, No. 3 MIT 3
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 6: No. 1 Gettysburg 2, No. 2 Ramapo
- Glassboro, New Jersey – Rowan
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 Rowan 8, No. 4 Cortland 0
    - Game 2: No. 2 Tufts 8, No. 3 Rensselaer 1
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 3: No. 1 Rowan 3, No. 2 Tufts 2
    - Game 4: No. 4 Cortland 10, No. 3 Rensselaer 5
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 5: No. 4 Cortland 9, No. 2 Tufts 2
      - loser eliminated
  - Sunday May 18
    - Game 6: No. 1 Rowan 2, No. 4 Courtland 0
- Ithaca, New York - Ithaca
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 Texas Lutheran 3, No. 4 UMass Boston 1
    - Game 2: No. 2 Ithaca 2, No. 3 Springfield 1
  - Friday, May 16
    - Game 3: No. 1 Texas Lutheran 3, No. 2 Ithaca 1
    - Game 4: No. 4 UMass Boston 4, vs. No. 3 Springfield 2
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 5: No. 2 Ithaca 11, No. 4 UMass Boston 0
      - loser eliminated
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 6: No. 1 Texas Lutheran 9, No. 2 Ithaca 1
- Marshall, Texas – East Texas Baptist
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 East Texas Baptist 13, No. 4 Marymount (VA) 1
    - Game 2: No. 2 Belhaven 3, No. 3 St. Thomas (TX) 1
  - Friday, May 16
    - Game 3: No. 1 East Texas Baptist 13, No. 3 St. Thomas (TX) 3
    - Game 4: No. 2 Belhaven 14, No. 4 Marymount (VA) 1
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 5: No. 3 St. Thomas 5, No. 2 Belhaven 2
      - loser eliminated
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 6: No. 1 East Texas Baptist 7, No. 3 St. Thomas 6
- McMinnville, Oregon - Linfield
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 Linfield 12, No. 4 JWU (Providence) 2
    - Game 2: No. 3 Lewis & Clark 7, No. 2 Chapman 4
  - Friday, May 16
    - Game 3: No. 1 Linfield 12, No. 3 Lewis & Clark 2
    - Game 4: No. 2 Chapman 5, No. 4 JWU (Providence) 0
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 5: No. 2 Chapman 10, No. 3 Lewis & Clark 1
      - loser eliminated
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 6: No. 1 Linfield 5, No. 2 Chapman 3
- Winona, Minnesota – Saint Mary’s
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 Saint Mary's (MN) 5, No. 4 Husson 2
    - Game 2: No. 2 Simpson 9, No. 3 DePauw 5
  - Friday, May 16
    - Game 3: No. 1 Saint Mary's (MN) 3, No. 2 Simpson 1
    - Game 4: No. 3 DePauw 3, No. 4 Husson 0
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 5: No. 2 Simpson 8, No. 3 DePauw 3
      - loser eliminated
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 6: No. 2 Simpson 3, No. 1 Saint Mary's 2
    - Game 7 (if necessary): No. 1 Saint Mary's 10, No. 2 Simpson 2
- Montgomery, Alabama – Huntingdon
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 Huntingdon 4, No. 4 Berry 1
    - Game 2: No. 3 Emory 6, No. 2 Transylvania 2 | 1:30 p.m.
  - Friday, May 16
    - Game 3: No. 1 Huntingdon 5, No. 3 Emory 3
    - Game 4: No. 4 Berry 1, No. 2 Transylvania 0
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 5: No. 3 Emory 2, No. 4 Berry 1
      - loser eliminated
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 6: No. 3 Emory 5, No. 1 Huntingdon 4
    - Game 7 (if necessary): No. 3 Emory 4, No. 1 Huntingdon 3
- Newport News, Virginia – Christopher Newport
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 Christopher Newport 12, No. 4 Farmingdale State 0
    - Game 2: No. 2 Randolph-Macon 3, No. 3 Alfred 2
  - Friday, May 16
    - Game 3: No. 2 Randolph-Macon 4, No. 1 Christopher Newport 3
    - Game 4: No. 3 Alfred 6, No. 4 Farmingdale State 5
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 5: No. 1 Christopher Newport 8, No. 3 Alfred 3
      - loser eliminated
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 6: No. 2 Randolph-Macon 6, No. 1 Christopher Newport 2
- Oshkosh, Wisconsin- Wisconsin-Oshkosh
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 Wisconsin-Oshkosh 6, No. 4 Concordia Wisconsin 0
    - Game 2: No. 3 Wisconsin-Stevens Point 3, No. 2 Central (IA) 0
  - Friday, May 16
    - Game 3: No. 3 Wisconsin-Stevens Point 1, No. 1 Wisconsin-Oshkosh 0
    - Game 4: No. 4 Concordia Wisconsin 8, No. 2 Central (IA) 3
      - loser eliminated
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 5: No. 1 Wisconsin-Oshkosh 4, No. 4 Concordia Wisconsin 1
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 6: No. 1 Wisconsin-Oshkosh 5, No. 3 Wisconsin-Stevens Point 2
    - Game 7 (if necessary): No. 3 Wisconsin-Stevens Point 3, No. 1 Wisconsin-Oshkosh 1
- Salisbury, Maryland – Salisbury
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 Salisbury 6, No. 4 Westminster (PA) 0
    - Game 2: No. 3 Mount Union 8, No. 2 Pfeiffer 0
  - Friday, May 16
    - Game 3: No. 1 Salisbury 5, No. 3 Mount Union 3
    - Game 4: No. 3 Pfeiffer 3, No. 4 Westminster (PA) 1
      - loser eliminated
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 5: No. 3 Pfeiffer 2, No. 3 Mount Union 1
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 6: No. 1 Salisbury 5, No. 3 Pfeiffer 4
- St. Louis, Missouri – WashU
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 Redlands 13, No. 4 Lake Forest 5
    - Game 2: No. 3 Wartburg 4, No. 2 WashU 3
  - Friday, May 16
    - Game 3: No. 1 Redlands 8, No. 3 Wartburg 0
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 4: No. 2 WashU 4, No. 4 Lake Forest 2
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 5: No. 2 WashU 3, No. 3 Wartburg 2
      - loser eliminated
  - Sunday, May 18
    - Game 6: No. 1 Redlands 2, No. 2 WashU 0
- Virginia Beach, Virginia- Virginia Wesleyan
  - Thursday, May 15
    - Game 1: No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan 11, No. 4 Western New England 1
    - Game 2: No. 2 Swarthmore 6, No. 3 Messiah 2
  - Friday, May 16
    - Game 3: No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan 5, No. 2 Swarthmore 1
    - Game 4: No. 3 Messiah 6, No. 4 Western New England 2
      - loser eliminated
    - Game 5: No. 3 Messiah 1, No. 2 Swarthmore 0
      - loser eliminated
  - Saturday May 17
    - Game 6: No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan 12, No. 3 Messiah 4
�ċ�ċSuper regionals | Thursday-Friday, May 22-23
- Marshall, Texas – East Texas Baptist
  - Thursday, May 22
    - Game 1: Texas Lutheran 4, East Texas Baptist 3
  - Friday, May 23
    - Game 2: Texas Lutheran 2, East Texas Baptist
  - 🏆 Texas Lutheran advances to finals
- Bethlehem, Pennsylvania – Moravian
  - Friday, May 23
    - Game 1: Randolph-Macon 5, Moravian 0
    - Game 2: Moravian 10, Randolph-Macon 5
  - Saturday, May 24
    - Game 3: Randolph-Macon 1, Moravian 0
  - 🏆 Randolph-Macon advances to finals
- Winona, Minnesota – Saint Mary’s
  - Thursday, May 22
    - Game 1: Wis.-Whitewater 5, Saint Mary's 3
  - Friday, May 23
    - Game 2: Saint Mary's 4, Wis.-Whitewater 0
    - Game 3: Saint Mary's 7, Wis.-Whitewater 1
  - 🏆 Saint Mary's advances to finals
- McMinnville, Oregon - Linfield
  - Thursday, May 22
    - Game 1: Linfield 2, Ill. Wesleyan 0
  - Friday, May 23
    - Game 2: Linfield 11, Ill. Wesleyan 0
  - 🏆 Linfield advances to finals
- Virginia Beach, Virginia- Virginia Wesleyan
  - Thursday, May 22
    - Game 1: Virginia Wesleyan 8, Gettysburg 0
  - Friday, May 23
    - Game 2: Virginia Wesleyan 10, Gettysburg 1
  - 🏆 Virginia Wesleyan advances to finals
- Angola, Indiana – Trine
  - Thursday, May 22
    - Game 1: Trine 7, Wis.-Stevens Point 0
  - Friday, May 23
    - Game 2: Trine 3, Wis.-Stevens Point 1
  - 🏆 Trine advances to finals
- Glassboro, New Jersey – Rowan
  - Friday, May 23
    - Game 1: Rowan 15, Salisbury 1
    - Game 2: Rowan 6, Salisbury 2
  - 🏆 Rowan advances to finals
- Redlands, California- Redlands
  - Thursday, May 22
    - Game 1: Redlands 12, Emory 4
  - Friday, May 23
    - Game 2: Redlands 13, Emory 2
  - 🏆 Redlands advances to finals

Finals | Thursday-Wednesday, May 29-June 4 at Inspiration Field, Bloomington, IL.
- Thursday, May 29
  - Game 1: No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan 8, No. 8 Randolph-Macon 0 (5 innings)
  - Game 2: No. 4 Linfield 11, No. 5 Saint Mary’s (MN) 3 (5 innings)
  - Game 3: No. 2 Rowan 5, No. 7 Texas Lutheran 0
  - Game 4: No. 3 Trine 8, No. 6 Redlands 0
- Friday, May 30
  - Game 5: No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan 8, No. 4 Linfield 4
  - Game 6: No. 8 Randolph-Macon 6, No. 5 Saint Mary's (MN) 3
    - Saint Mary's (MN) eliminated
  - Game 7: No. 3 Trine 5, No. 2 Rowan 1
  - Game 8: No. 6 Redlands 2, No. 7 Texas Lutheran 0
    - Texas Lutheran eliminated
- Saturday, May 31
  - Game 9: No. 8 Randolph-Macon 1, No. 2 Rowan 0
    - Rowan eliminated
  - Game 10: No. 4 Linfield 9, No. 6 Redlands 1
    - Redlands eliminated
- Sunday, June 1
  - Game 11: No. 8 Randolph-Macon 6, No. 1 Va. Wesleyan 2
  - Game 12: No. 3 Trine 10, No. 4 Linfield 9
    - Linfield eliminated
  - Game 13: No. 1 Va. Wesleyan 3, No. 8 Randolph-Macon 1
    - Randolph-Macon eliminated

DIII softball championship history

The DIII softball national championship dates back to 1982, with Eastern Connecticut State claiming the first national title over TCNJ and going undefeated in the finals series.

Most recently, Trine won the 2025 DIII softball national championship against Virginia Wesleyan.

Here's a look at the full history of championship winners since 1982:

Year	Champion (Record)	Coach	Score	Runner-Up	Site
2025	*Trine (46-5)	Donnie Danklefsen	3-1	Virginia Wesleyan	Bloomington, Ill.
2024	East Texas Baptist (48-3)	Janae Shirley	9-5	Belhaven	Marshall, Texas
2023	Trine (46-6)	Donnie Danklefsen	1-0	Salisbury	Marshall, Texas
2022	Christopher Newport (47-1)	Keith Parr	3-0	Trine	Salem, Va.
2021	Virginia Wesleyan (46-6-1)	Brandon Elliott	9-1	Texas Lutheran	Salem, Va.
2020	Canceled due to COVID-19	--	--	--	--
2019	Texas Lutheran (40-8)	Wade Wilson	6-1	Emory	Tyler, Texas
2018	Virginia Wesleyan (55-3)	Brandon Elliott	3-1	Illinois Wesleyan	Oklahoma City, Okla.
2017	Virginia Wesleyan (54-3)	Brandon Elliott	1-0	St. John Fisher	Oklahoma City, Okla.
2016		Mike Reed	7-0	Messiah	Salem, Va.
2015		Cheryl Milligan	7-4	Texas-Tyler	Salem, Va.
2014		Cheryl Milligan	6-0	Salisbury	Tyler, Texas
2013		Cheryl Milligan	6-5	Cortland State	Eau Claire, Wis.
2012	*Pacific Lutheran (45-11)	Erin Van Nostrand	3-0	Linfield	Salem, Va.
2011	Linfield (51-3)	Jackson Vaughan	6-2	Christopher Newport	Salem Va.
2010	East Texas Baptist (40-12)	Janae Schlabs-Shirley	5-4	Linfield	Eau Claire, Wisc.
2009	*Messiah (43-4)	Amy Weaver	2-0	Coe	Montclair, N.J.
2008	*Wisconsin-Eau Claire (36-11)	Leslie Huntington	4-3	Wisconsin-Whitewater	Salem Va.
2007	Linfield (45-7)	Jackson Vaughan	10-2	Washington-St. Louis	Salem Va.
2006	*Rutgers-Camden (47-5)	Carl Taylor	3-2	St. Thomas (Minn.)	Raleigh, N.C.
2005	*St. Thomas (Minn.) (43-6)	John Tschida	9-3	Salisbury	Raleigh, N.C.
2004	St. Thomas (Minn.) (46-3)	John Tschida	2-0	Moravian	Salem Va.
2003	Central (Iowa) (39-5-1)	George Wares	5-3	Salisbury	Salem Va.
2002	Ithaca (37-13)	Deb Pallozzi	1-0	Lake Forest	Eau Claire, Wisc.
2001	*Muskingum (47-6)	Donna Newberry	4-1	Central (Iowa)	Eau Claire, Wisc.
2000	*Saint Mary (Minn.) (40-6)	John Tschida	5-0	Chapman	Salem Va.
1999	Simpson (47-4-1)	Henry Christowski	6-0	Chapman	Eau Claire, Wisc.
1998	Wisconsin-Stevens Point (43-15)	Dean Shuda	3-1	Chapman	Salem Va.
1997	Simpson (39-7)	Henry Christowski	2-1	Montclair State	Eau Claire, Wisc.
1996	*TCNJ (41-3)	Sally Miller	7-2	Chapman	Salem Va.
1995	*Chapman (43-5)	Lesle Lloyd	4-2	TCNJ	Storm Lake, Iowa
1994	*TCNJ (48-4)	June Walker	6-5	Bridgewater State	Salem Va.
1993	*Central (Iowa) (38-2)	George Wares	7-3	TCNJ	Decatur, Ill.
1992	*TCNJ (48-2)	June Walker	4-0	Buena Vista	Pella, Iowa
1991	*Central (Iowa) (42-6)	George Wares	4-0	Eastern Connecticut State	Willimantic, Conn.
1990	Eastern Connecticut State (34-5)	Jeff Anderson	1-0	TCNJ	Storm Lake, Iowa
1989	*TCNJ (46-3)	June Walker	8-7	Eastern Connecticut State	Ewing, N.J.
1988	Central (Iowa) (35-10)	George Wares	3-2	Allegheny	Elmherst, Ill.
1987	*TCNJ (46-3)	June Walker	1-0	Wisconsin-Whitewater	Willimantic, Conn.
1986	Eastern Connecticut State (36-11)	Clyde Washburne	1-0	Central (Iowa)	Storm Lake, Iowa
1985	Eastern Connecticut State (39-9)	Clyde Washburne	1-0	TCNJ	Willimantic, Conn.
1984	*Buena Vista (29-8-1)	Marge Willadsen	3-1	TCNJ	De Pere, Wisc.
1983	TCNJ (41-7)	June Walker	7-0	Buena Vista	Willimantic, Conn.
1982	*Eastern Connecticut State (27-10)	Clyde Washburne	2-0	TCNJ	Ewing, N.J.

*Indicates undefeated teams in finals series