NDSCS Softball National Championship Ceremony Set

NDSCS will be honoring the 2025 NJCAA DIII National Champion Wildcats Softball team in between the women's and men's basketball games held on January 25th against Dakota College at Bottineau where they'll be receiving their National Championship rings.

The 2025 Wildcats finished with a 54-14-1 overall record including a 21-3 conference record and a 29-1-1 regional record.  The Wildcats went into the National Championship series against Patrick & Henry Community College on May 25 where they needed to defeat PHCC twice in order to capture the title.  The first game was a 2-0 shutout for the 'Cats led by an outstanding seven innings on the mound by Ella Stewart giving up only three hits and one walk while striking out 10 of the 25 batters she faced.  Emma Johnson, the NJCAA DIII National Player of the Year, hit a two run home run in the first inning which would go on to be the only runs scored in the game.  In game two, the Wildcats fell behind 0-3 before a four run fifth inning gave the Wildcats a 4-3 lead heading into the sixth.  An insurance run was scored in the sixth inning to put NDSCS up 5-3 heading into the top of the seventh where Grace Folkema got a PHCC player to pop up to center field to secure the National Championship for the NDSCS.

This is the second National Championship for NDSCS in the past three years under Head Coach Mike Oehlke.  In 2024, the Wildcats finished runner-up to PHCC.  NDSCS is looking to continue their success heading into the 2026 Spring Softball season.

The game times for January 25 are 1:00 PM for the women and 3:00 PM for the men.  The ceremony will take place at the conclusion of the women's game at approximately 2:30 PM.