softball-d2 flag

Wayne Cavadi | krikya18.com | May 27, 2024

Here are the DII softball programs with the most national championships

2024 DII softball championship: day six recap

Since Sam Houston State defeated Cal State Northridge in 1982 for the first DII softball championship, 40 more national champions have been crowned. In 2023, North Georgia won its second title since 2015, joining the exclusive club of multi-time winners of the DII softball championship.

2024 RECAP: UT Tyler wins first-ever DII softball championship

No new teams were added in 2024 as UT Tyler finally got over the national semifinals hump and won the program's first national championship. West Texas A&M defeated Biola in the 2021 DII softball national championship series, picking up its second title after winning its first in 2014. Augustana (SD), were winners in 2019 and that win also entered the Vikings into this exclusive club. The last school to win its second championship prior to the Vikings was Lock Haven in the 2009 season.

Let’s take a look at the programs with the most DII softball championships.

4 — CSUN (1983-85, 1987)

Head coach Gary Torgeson’s Matadors owned the CCAA and pretty much DII softball for most of the 1980s. They won the CCAA in each of their nine seasons as a member and won four DII titles along the way. CSUN appeared in the first six DII softball championship series, winning three in a row after losing the inaugural title match to Sam Houston State.

3 — Cal State Bakersfield (1988-90)

California sure had a monopoly on DII softball in the early years of its history. After CSUN’s history at the top concluded, the Roadrunners took over. CSU Bakersfield won three titles, all in a row under head coach Kathy Welter. It defeated CSUN 6-2 in 1990 for its final DII title in a showdown of softball superpowers. 

2 — Six tied 

NCAA Photos Humboldt State has two DII softball titles.

West Texas A&M was the newest member as the Lady Buffs won in 2021, giving them two titles in the last eight seasons. That changed in 2023, when North Georgia entered the club with its second title since 2015. Augustana (SD) captured its second title in 2019, waiting 28 years to do so, the longest span of any DII softball multi-time winner. After the Roadrunners run ended, we saw four new winners in a row. Then, a pair of back-to-back champions changed the DII softball landscape. Kennesaw State won in 1995 and 1996 followed by California (Pa) in 1997 and 1998, the last team to repeat in DII softball history. Humboldt State followed the Vulcans in 1999 and would capture its second title in 2008, the longest stretch between DII softball championships prior to the 2019 Vikings. If anyone can call themselves the DII softball power of the 2000s, it is Lock Haven. The Bald Eagles were the first team with multiple championships this century and nearly had a third, losing by one to SIU Edwardsville in the 2007 championship.

Here’s a complete list of all the DII softball national champions:

YEAR CHAMPION (RECORD) COACH SCORE RUNNER-UP SITE
2024  UT Tyler Mike Reed 10-1 Western Washington Longwood, Fla.
2023 North Georgia (64-7) Mike Davenport 3-0 Grand Valley State Chattanooga, Tenn.
2022 Rogers State (58-10) Andrea Vaughn 6-1 Cal State Dom. Hills Denver, Colo. 
2021 West Texas A&M (43-12) Michael Mook 4-1 Biola Denver, Colo.
2020 Canceled due to COVID-19 N/A N/A N/A N/A
2019 *Augustana (SD) (61-11) Gretta Melsted 6-4 Texas A&M-Kingsville Denver, Colo.
2018 *Southern Indiana (40-23) Sue Kunkle 8-3 Saint Anselm Salem, Va.
2017 *Minnesota State (64-7) Lori Meyer 5-1 Angelo State Salem, Va.
2016 North Alabama (60-7) Ashley Cozart 4-1 Humboldt State Denver
2015 North Georgia (54-8) Mike Davenport 5-0 Dixie State Oklahoma City
2014 *West Texas A&M (60-7) Kevin Blaskowski 3-2 Valdosta State Salem, Va.
2013 *Central Oklahoma (51-11) Genny Stidham 5-2 Kutztown Salem, Va.
2012 Valdosta State (58-5) Thomas Macera 4-1 UC San Diego Louisville, Ky.
2011 UC San Diego Patti Gerckens 10-3 Alabama-Huntsville Salem, Va.
2010 *Hawaii Pacific (50-8) Bryan Nakasone 4-3 Valdosta State Saint Joesph, Mo.
2009 Lock Haven (51-6) Kelly Green 8-0 Alabama-Huntsville Salem, Va.
2008 *Humboldt State (57-18) Frank Cheek 1-0 Emporia State Houston
2007 *SIU Edwardsville (49-8) Sandy Montgomery 3-2 Lock Haven Akron, Ohio
2006 *Lock Haven (56-4) Kelly Green 3-0 Emporia State Salem, Va.
2005 * *Lynn (54-7) Thomas Macera 5-3 Kennesaw State Salem, Va.
2004 Angelo State (47-11 Travis Scott 7-3 Florida Southern Altamonte Springs, Fla.
2003 *UC Davis (53-15) Kathy DeYoung 7-0 Georgia College Salem, Ore.
2002 St. Mary's (Texas) (58-11) Donna Fields 4-0 Grand Valley State Salem, Va.
2001 Nebraska-Omaha (54-6) Jeanne Tostenson 4-0 Lewis Salem, Va.
2000 North Dakota State (68-10) Mitch Hanson 3-1 Kennesaw State Columbus, Ga.
1999 Humboldt State (55-7-1) Frank Cheek 7-2 Nebraska-Kearney Salem, Va.
1998 California (Pa.) (49-7) Rick Bertagnolli 2-1 Barry Pensacola, Fla.
1997 *California (Pa.) (53-5) Rick Bertagnolli 2-1 Wisconsin-Parkside Salem, Va.
1996 Kennesaw State (49-8) Scott Whitlock 6-4 Nebraska-Omaha Emporia, Kan.
1995 Kennesaw State (53-5) Scott Whitlock 3-2 Bloomsburg Salem, Va.
1994 Merrimack (45-4) Michele Myslinski 6-2 Humboldt State Shawnee, Kan.
1993 Florida Southern (45-11) Chris Bellotto 11-5 Augustana (S.D.) Shawnee, Kan.
1992 Missouri Southern State (50-7) Pat Lipira 1-0 Cal State East Bay Shawnee, Kan.
1991 *Augustana (SD) (61-4-1) Sandy Jerstad 3-2 Bloomsburg Midland, Mich.
1990 Cal State Bakersfield (44-11) Kathy Welter 6-2 Cal State Northridge Midland, Mich.
1989 Cal State Bakersfield (38-23) Kathy Welter 8-5 Sacramento State Sacramento, Calif.
1988 Cal State Bakersfield (54-9-1) Kathy Welter 4-3 Lock Haven Sacramento, Calif.
1987 Cal State Northridge (58-7) Gary Torgeson 4-0 Florida Southern Quincy, Ill.
1986 *Stephen F. Austin (38-15-1) Dianne Baker 1-0 Cal State Northridge Akron, Ohio
1985 *Cal State Northridge (62-19) Gary Torgeson 2-1 Akron Northridge, Calif.
1984 *Cal State Northridge (51-12-2) Gary Torgeson 1-0 Akron Sioux Falls, S.D.
1983 *Cal State Northridge (35-20-2) Gary Torgeson 1-0 Sam Houston State Orange, Calif.
1982 Sam Houston State (40-6) Wayne Daigle 3-2 Cal State Northridge Stratford, Conn.

*Indicates undefeated teams in finals series

**Lynn’s participation in the 2005 tournament vacated by krikya18.committee on Infractions.

** Lynn’s participation in the 2005 tournament vacated by krikya18.committee on Infractions.

and . His work has appeared on Bleacher Report, MLB.com, AJC.com, SB Nation and FoxSports.com and in publications like The Advocate and Lindy's Sports. Follow him on Twitter at .

The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions.

The 25 most accomplished DI men's wrestlers to watch this season

Rankings are back, this time based purely on credentials. Former champs are ranked first, then national finalists, then All-Americans. These are the top 25 athletes you need to know heading into the 2024-25 college wrestling season.
READ MORE

DII men's basketball programs with the most NCAA DII national championships

Here are the DII men's basketball programs that have won multiple national championships.
READ MORE

Here are the NCAA Division II wrestling programs with the most national championships

Cal Poly and Cal State Bakersfield top the list of programs that have won the most NCAA DII college wrestling national championships.
READ MORE