The NAIA Softball Championship, referred to as the NAIA Softball World Series , is the annual tournament to determine the national champions of NAIA collegiate softball in the United States and formerly in Canada . It has been held annually since 1981.[1] The South Commons Complex Sports Complex in Columbus, Georgia is the most recent host, having hosted the tournament in 2021, 2022, and 2023. [2]
The reigning national champions are Southern Oregon , who won their third national title in 2023.
Oklahoma City is the winningest program, with eleven NAIA championship titles.
Results
NAIA Softball World Series
Year
Site
Championship match
Champion
Score
Runner-up
1981Details
Conroe, Texas
Sam Houston State
1–0
Emporia State
1982Details
Kearney, Nebraska
Missouri Western
5–0
St. Francis (IL)
1983Details
Emporia State
9–2
Kearney State
1984Details
Indianapolis, Indiana
Emporia State (2)
1–0
Quincy
1985Details
Quincy
4–2
Washburn
1986Details
San Antonio, Texas
St. Mary's (TX)
2–1 (9 innings)
Oklahoma City
1987Details
Kearney, Nebraska
Kearney State
1–0
Francis Marion
1988Details
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Pacific Lutheran
2–0 (10 innings)
Minnesota Duluth
1989Details
Midland, Michigan
Saginaw Valley State
3–0
Kearney State
1990Details
Pensacola, Florida
Kearney State (2)
6–3 (8 innings)
Pacific Lutheran
1991Details
Columbia, Missouri
Hawaii Loa
5–1
Puget Sound
1992Details
Pensacola, Florida
Pacific Lutheran (2)
3–2
Kennesaw State
1993Details
Columbia, Missouri
West Florida
4–2
Oklahoma City
1994Details
Oklahoma City
3–1
Athens State
1995Details
Oklahoma City (2)
3–1
Puget Sound
1996Details
Decatur, Alabama
Wilson Morgan Softball Complex
Oklahoma City (3)
9–1
Shawnee State
1997Details
Oklahoma City (4)
12–0
Athens State
1998Details
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Broken Arrow Softball Complex
Western Washington
5–1
Simon Fraser
1999Details
Jupiter, Florida
Jupiter Softball Park
Simon Fraser
7–3
Oklahoma City
2000Details
Decatur, Alabama
Wilson Morgan Softball Complex
Oklahoma City (5)
5–1
Azusa Pacific
2001Details
Oklahoma City (6)
5–3
Simon Fraser
2002Details
Oklahoma City (7)
2–1 (8 innings)
Point Loma Nazarene
2003Details
Simon Fraser (2)
3–1
Mobile, Alabama
2004Details
Thomas
5–4
Simon Fraser
2005Details
Simon Fraser (3)
7–0
California Baptist
2006Details
Mobile
4–1
California Baptist
2007Details
Oklahoma City (8)
7–2
Point Loma Nazarene
2008Details
Lubbock Christian
2–1
Mobile, Alabama
2009Details
California Baptist
3–2
St. Gregory's
2010Details
Simon Fraser (4)
4–3
Oklahoma City
2011Details
Gulf Shores, Alabama
Gulf Shores Sportsplex
Oregon Tech
1–0
California Baptist
2012Details
Shorter
1–0
Oklahoma City
2013Details
Columbus, Georgia
South Commons Softball Complex
Concordia Irvine
8–3
Spring Hill
2014Details
Auburn Montgomery
10–6*
William Carey
2015Details
Sioux City, Iowa
Morningside College
Auburn Montgomery (2)
10–0 (6 innings)
Lindsey Wilson
2016Details
Oklahoma City (9)
5–0
Saint Xavier
2017Details
Clermont, Florida
Legends Way Ball Fields
Oklahoma City (10)
4–1
Corban
2018Details
USAO
4–1
Columbia (MO)
2019Details
Springfield, Missouri[3] Killian Sports Complex
Southern Oregon
8–3
Oklahoma City
2020Details
No championship due to the coronavirus pandemic
2021 Details
Columbus, Georgia
South Commons Softball Complex
Southern Oregon (2)
3–2
Oregon Tech
2022 Details
Oklahoma City (11)
3–0
Mobile
2023
Details
Southern Oregon (3)
11-0 (5 innings)[4]
Oregon Tech
* = 1st ever "if necessary" game after William Carey came out of losers' bracket to defeat Auburn Montgomery in first championship game of the double-elimination tournament .
Championships
School
Number
Year Won
Oklahoma City
11
1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2016, 2017, 2022
Simon Fraser
4
1999, 2003, 2005, 2010
Southern Oregon
3
2019, 2021, 2023
Auburn Montgomery
2
2014, 2015
Emporia State
2
1984, 1985
Nebraska–Kearney (Kearney State)
2
1987, 1990
Pacific Lutheran
2
1988, 1992
California Baptist
1
2009
Concordia Irvine
1
2013
Hawaii Loa
1
1991
Lubbock Christian
1
2008
Missouri Western
1
1983
Mobile
1
2006
Oregon Tech
1
2011
Quincy
1
1986
Saginaw Valley State
1
1989
Sam Houston State
1
1982
Shorter
1
2012
St. Mary's (TX)
1
1986
Thomas
1
2004
USAO
1
2018
West Florida
1
1993
Western Washington
1
1998
Schools highlighted in pink are closed or no longer sponsor athletics.
Schools highlight in yellow have reclassified athletics from the NAIA.
See also
References
External links
NAIA Sports and championships
Active Championships Invitation/ Emerging
Beach Volleyball
Lacrosse
Discontinued
Basketball (Division II)
Football
Gymnastics
Ice Hockey
Related topics