The 2023 season concluded with a first-time DII women's soccer national champion, as Point Loma defeated Washburn 1-0 to become champs. Since Cal State East Bay rose victorious as the first national champion in 1988, defeating Barry 1-0, six programs have racked up multiple championships.
That 1988 title was the only one for Cal State East Bay, but Barry would respond, winning the very next season and quickly becoming the first program with multiple national championships. Here’s a look at the programs that have the most DII women’s soccer titles.
Grand Valley State, 7 (2009, 2010, 13-15, 2019, 2021)
The Lakers are the current form of a dynasty, appearing in ten of the last twelve national title matches, and going back-to-back in 2019 and 2021 (there was no 2020 tournament due to COVID-19) to win their historic sixth and seventh titles. Grand Valley State nearly pulled off the four-peat in 2016, losing to Western Washington in the finals by a score of 3-2. The NCAA DII record books are littered with team stats and some of the best individual players in the sport's history that came from this big run that doesn’t seem to have an end in sight.
Franklin Pierce, 5 (1994-97, 99)
What head coach Mark Krikorian started in 1994, Jeff Bailey finished in 1997 as the Ravens ran away with four consecutive national titles, a feat no one has yet to match. Those four Franklin Pierce teams went a combined 78-1, outscoring its opponents 11-0 in the title match. The Ravens took a brief sabbatical in 1998 before storming back in ’99 for their fifth and currently last championship, finally allowing a goal, winning 3-1 over Cal Poly Pomona.
MORE: Missouri Western ends No. 1 Central Missouri 32-game winning streak
Barry, 3 (1989, 92, 93)
The Bucs rebounded quickly after losing the first-ever DII women’s soccer championship by reeling off an undefeated season in 1989 and defeating Keene State 4-0 for their first national championship. Barry returned to the title game two years later and became the first repeat national champions in DII lore. The Bucs lost one more time in 1995 and haven’t returned since.
UC San Diego, 2 (2000, 01)
From 1996 to 1999, UC San Diego won three of four championships as a member of Division III. The jump to DII in 2000 seemed to have little effect on the Tritons. They went 21-2 in 2000 and would do the same in 2001, both times resulting in national championships.
Metro State, 2 (2004, 06)
Head coach Danny Sanchez spent six seasons in Denver. During his time there, the Roadrunners won six-straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular season titles, made the NCAA tournament every season, and reached the national quarterfinals in five of those six years. Metro State reached the pinnacle twice in three years in the best run of one of the more successful programs in DII women’s soccer.
Western Washington, 2 (2016, 2022)
The Vikings are becoming a powerhouse over the past decade, not only winning both of those titles, but finishing as national runners-up to Grand Valley State in a 1-0 thriller on a snowy day in 2019, the very program they beat in 2016 for their first national title. They also made it to the semifinals in 2015, when they lost Grand Valley State, which has really set up a nice little postseason rivalry between two of the more consistent powers in DII women's soccer.
The complete list of every national champion is below.
YEAR | CHAMPION | COACH | SCORE | RUNNER-UP | SITE |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | Point Loma (17-3-0) | Kristi Kiely | 1-0 | Washburn | Matthews, NC |
2022 | Western Washington (19-2-4) | Travis Connell | 2-1 | West Chester | Seattle, Wash. |
2021 | Grand Valley State (24-1-2) | Jim Conlon | 3-2 (2OT) | Saint Rose | Colorado Springs, Colo. |
2020 | No tournament - COVID-19 | ||||
2019 | Grand Valley State (25-1) | Jeff Hosler | 1-0 (2OT) | Western Washington | Pittsburgh, Pa. |
2018 | Bridgeport (20-4-1) | Magnus Nilerud | 1-0 | Grand Valley St. | Pittsburgh, Pa. |
2017 | Central Missouri (26-0-0) | Lewis Theobald | 1-1 (5-3 PKs) | Carson-Newman | Kansas City, Mo. |
2016 | Western Washington (23-0-1) | Travis Connell | 3-2 | Grand Valley State | Kansas City, Mo. |
2015 | Grand Valley State (23-1-1) | Jeff Hosler | 2-0 | Columbus State | Pensacola, Fla. |
2014 | Grand Valley State (22-2-2) | Jeff Hosler | 3-0 | Rollins | Louisville, Ky. |
2013 | Grand Valley State (24-0-1) | Dave Dilanni | 2-0 | West Florida | Evans, Ga. |
2012 | West Florida (24-1-0) | Joe Bartlinski | 1-0 | UC San Diego | Evans, Ga. |
2011 | Saint Rose (24-1-1) | Laurie Darling Gutheil | 2-1 | Grand Valley State | Pensacola, Fla. |
2010 | Grand Valley State (22-1-2) | Dave Dilanni | 4-0 | UC San Diego | Louisville, Ky. |
2009 | Grand Valley State (22-0-4) | Dave Dilanni | 1-0 | Cal State Dominguez Hills | Tampa |
2008 | Seattle Pacific (22-1-2) | Chuck Sekyra | 1-0 (2OT) | West Florida | Tampa |
2007 | *Tampa (20-2-3) | Gerry Lucey | 0-0 (2OT, PK) | Franklin Pierce | Orange Beach, Ala. |
2006 | Metro State (24-2) | Danny Sanchez | 1-0 (OT) | Grand Valley State | Pensacola, Fla. |
2005 | Nebraska-Omaha (20-2) | Don Klosterman | 2-1 (OT) | Seattle Pacific | Wichita Falls, Texas |
2004 | Metro State (25-1) | Danny Sanchez | 3-2 | Adelphi | Wichita Falls, Texas |
2003 | Kennesaw State (25-1) | Rob King | 2-0 | Franklin Pierce | Virginia Beach |
2002 | Christian Brothers (22-1) | Gareth O'Sullivan | 2-1 | Nebraska-Omaha | Virginia Beach |
2001 | UC San Diego (21-2) | Brian McManus | 2-0 | Christian Brothers | UC San Diego |
2000 | UC San Diego (21-2) | Brian McManus | 2-1 | Northern Kentucky | Barry |
1999 | Franklin Pierce (20-1) | Jeff Bailey | 3-1 | Cal Poly Pomona | Barry |
1998 | Lynn (19-1) | Rocky Orezzoli | 3-1 | Sonoma State | Lynn |
1997 | Franklin Pierce (21-0) | Jeff Bailey | 3-0 | West Virginia Wesleyan | Cal State Dominguez Hills |
1996 | Franklin Pierce (18-1) | Jeff Bailey | 1-0 | Lynn | Lynn |
1995 | Franklin Pierce (19-0) | Mark Krikorian | 5-0 | Barry | Franklin Pierce |
1994 | Franklin Pierce (20-0) | Mark Krikorian | 2-0 | Regis (Colo.) | Franklin Pierce |
1993 | Barry (17-1) | Mike Covone | 2-0 | Cal Poly | Barry |
1992 | Barry (17-2) | Mike Covone | 3-2 | Adelphi | Adelphi |
1991 | Cal State Dominguez Hills (18-4-1) | Marine Cano | 2-1 | Sonoma State | Cal State Dominguez Hills |
1990 | Sonoma State (14-4) | Peter Reynaud | 2-0 | Keene State | Barry |
1989 | Barry (17-0-1) | Mike Covone | 4-0 | Keene State | Barry |
1988 | Cal State East Bay (18-2) | Colin Lindores | 1-0 | Barry | Barry |
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