Here is everything you need to know before the 2026 DIII softball championship kicks off on Thursday, May 14.
The championship bracket will be revealed on Monday, May 11 during a selection show live-streamed here on NCAA.com. The 64-team field will consist of 42 automatic qualifiers and 22 at-large bids.
The tournament will conclude on Wednesday, June 3 at Moyer Sports Park in Salem, Virginia.
2026 DIII softball tournament bracket
Here is a look at the DII softball tournament bracket before the teams are revealed on Monday, May 11.
2026 DIII softball tournament schedule
- Selection show: Monday, May 11 at 11 a.m. on NCAA.com
- Regionals: Thursday, May 14 – Saturday, May 16
- Super Regionals: Thursday, May 21 – Friday, May 22
- Finals: Thursday, May 28 – Wednesday, June 3
DIII softball championship history
The College of New Jersey holds the most titles with six championships while Trine is the reigning national champion after a 3-1 victory over Virginia Wesleyan in 2025 for its second title in three years.
| 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) | Don 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 | Texas-Tyler (49-5) | Mike Reed | 7-0 | Messiah | Salem, Va. |
| 2015 | Tufts (51-0) | Cheryl Milligan | 7-4 | Texas-Tyler | Salem, Va. |
| 2014 | Tufts (47-4) | Cheryl Milligan | 6-0 | Salisbury | Tyler, Texas |
| 2013 | *Tufts (46-3) | 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. |
