We continue our year-end look at the Top 10 Softball Stories of 2025…  Here is the schedule for this list which will run the rest of December and into January 2025, when we’ll publish the No. 1 Softball Story of The Year:

Click on the links of those previously posted to see what we’ve covered so far!

• Top 10 Softball Stories of the Year: #10 – Tue, Dec. 23, 2025
• Top 10 Softball Stories of the Year: #9 – Wed, Dec. 24, 2025
• Top 10 Softball Stories of the Year: #8 – Thu, Dec. 25, 2025
• Top 10 Softball Stories of the Year: #7 – Fri, Dec. 26, 2025
• Top 10 Softball Stories of the Year: #6 – Sat, Dec. 27, 2025
• Top 10 Softball Stories of the Year: #5 – Sun, Dec. 28, 2025
• Top 10 Softball Stories of the Year: #4 – Mon, Dec. 29, 2025
• Top 10 Softball Stories of the Year: #3 – Tue, Dec. 30, 2025
• Top 10 Softball Stories of the Year: #2 – Wed, Dec. 31, 2025
• Top 10 Softball Stories of the Year: #1 – Thu, Jan. 1, 2025

Also, on Jan. 2, 2026, Line Drive Softball will list all the Top 10 stories in a list and then on Jan. 3^rd we’ll will run the Other Stories Considered List.

For each topic (story), an article that we ran earlier this year on Line Drive Softball is reposted along with any other articles that may be tied into the subject listed that day.

So how were the Top 10 picked?

We looked at what were considered the most memorable and important stories of the year as they impacted the sport.

In researching the Top 10, we talked to those in softball, including college and travel ball coaches, other media members and you—the fastpitch community.

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Softball

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Note: the following is a heated and much debated topic and it’s important to note that we at Line Drive Softball are doing our best to present both sides.

Also, it’s imperative that we are sensitive to the young athletes involved and support them, especially their mental and emotional health, in all cases.

Controversy rarely strikes softball as much as it did in May and June of 2025.

That’s because Marissa Rothenberger, a 6-foot then junior pitcher for Champlin Park (Minn.) High, helped her team win the Minnesota 4A State Championship on June 6, 2025.

So what’s the controversy?

Marissa was born Charlie Dean Rothenberger and at age 9 began transitioning to a female.  

In the title game, Rothenberger pitched a three-hit shutout in the 6-0 win over Bloomington Jefferson and for the season had a 0.74 ERA, a 0.65 WHIP and a .176 batting average against in 94 innings pitched.

But the end of the season was just the start of what would be fireworks around the Rothenberger situation.

The protests came in the form of strong opposition to the transgender player dominating the fastpitch softball scene in the Last of 10,000 Lakes.

For the Minnesota 4A championship run, Rothenberger was selected to the All-Tournament Team but a few weeks later did not make the All-State Team.

Critics wanted the school district, even the government all the way up to the governor, to step in and prevent this issue from continuing:

Another example:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services even began a Title IX investigation into the state of Minnesota.

Not surprising, perhaps, was a lawsuit by three anonymous opposing players and, in a FoxNews.com article, one of the players said the following:

“This issue has affected me in ways that I never imagined. It’s simply unfair and I hate that nothing is happening to change that. Boys should not be able to take girls spots on teams just because they are capable of doing so. I hope that more girls affected by this issue will stand up against this.”

As reported in the FoxNews piece:

“The anonymous player also called out Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison for aggressively defending trans inclusion in girls’ sports in the state.”

Ellison has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and the U.S. Department of Justice over Trump’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order.

The Trump administration “has accused Minnesota of violating federal law by allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports.”

Here’s a video with Trump making his statement to ban transgender athletes:

… and here’s what the AG said in his own press conference:

The anonymous athlete in the lawsuit continued:

“It’s really upsetting to know that [Ellison] isn’t taking rights of girls and women seriously. He is allowing boys to compete with girls, and it is not safe and completely unfair. To know that AG Ellison is in complete support of letting boys and men take advantage of females in sports is absolutely disgusting and wrong,” the player added. 

Over 10 years ago—in March of 2015—Minnesota became the 33^rd state to create a law allowing transgender athletes, i.e born male but transitioned to female, to legally participate in licensed state girls’ competitions.

Nothing is clear-cut and a situation with a weightlifter from 2019 is still being looked at by the courts today:

Certainly, this controversy isn’t limited to just softball and just Minnesota; there have been similar situations in California, Maine, Oregon, New Hampshire, Washington, Pennsylvania, New York and West Virginia in the sports of track & field, volleyball, girls’ basketball, cross country, Nordic skiing, tennis, girls’ soccer… you get the picture.

Similarly, the lawsuits have been in multiple states as well and there’s no end in sight of athletes, their families, coaches and fans being OK or not OK with transgender athletes in girls’ sports.

This is a topic that will surely be continuing for years to come… and now it’s front and center in softball, too.

And to repeat our initial statement, we feel strongly that these young athletes—be they transgender or not—need to be respected as people and free from ugly attacks that may impact their health…

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Here are the articles as the were published on Line Drive this fall…

The Top 10 Softball Stories of 2025: #5… Transgender Minnesota Player Marissa Rothenberger Sparks Debate in Club & High School Fastpitch (Dec. 28, 2025)

Marissa Rothenberger, a pitcher for Champlin Park High School in Champlin, Minnesota, is rewriting the high school softball stat book with a 5-1 record to start the season, a 0.72 ERA, and a presence on the mound that’s as commanding as it is controversial.

Rothenberger, a transgender female who began gender transition at age nine and legally changed the birth certificate to reflect gender identity, has drawn national attention.

Undoubtedly the player’s dominance has helped push Champlin Park to new heights—the team is 8-2 overall as of today and third in the Northwest Suburban with a three-game winning streak—and ignited a national conversation that transcends the field.

U.S. President Donald Trump has brought even more attention to the subject after signing an executive order called “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”

Rothenberger’s travel softball experience includes playing for the Midwest Speed 16U National – Wagner team coached by Nat Wagner, who has also coached with the Minnesota Renegades and South Dakota Renegades club programs.

He is currently the head coach at Minnesota-Deluth, a Div. II school after being hired last May after previously serving as an assistant coach at St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minn.—a Div. I program.

If anyone has the experience to deal with the spotlight that this situation brings, it’s Coach Wagner (Line Drive has reached out to the coach for comment).

Still, the attention to the issue and play of Rothenberger in the female fastpitch softball world illustrates a growing ethical and policy dilemma that pits two deeply valid needs against each other.

On one hand are transgender female athletes like Marissa, whose mental health, identity affirmation, and right to access inclusive spaces are supported by national health organizations and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups.

For many, sports offer a path to community, confidence, and belonging—just like for any other teenager.

On the other hand, there is the top of cisgender female athletes—by definition, a person whose gender identity corresponds with the sex registered for them at birth—who have fought for decades for access, equity, and a level playing field in sports.

Critics argue that biological advantages, particularly in strength and speed, can undermine the integrity of competition, access to championships, and even scholarship opportunities—especially in highly competitive divisions like 4A softball.

In a recent interview on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me” with Dan Dakich, NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley emphasized his support for the gay and transgender communities but maintained that biological males should not compete in women’s sports.

Here’s the interview:

In the interview, Barkley stated,

“I’m against any form of discrimination, period… I’m not going to get into all this stuff that is going around, but men should not play sports against women.”

Barkley also expressed concerns about hormone therapy and puberty blockers for transgender children, asserting that kids are too young to make such life-altering decisions.

“I think we have to be very careful screwing around with kids because they’re not fully developed as a person,” Barkley said.

While Barkley’s stance has garnered both support and criticism, it underscores the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports.

There is no easy answer. Every “solution” carries tradeoffs—ethical, legal, and emotional.

What do YOU think as members of the fastpitch softball community?

We will do further coverage of the issue and would love to get your thoughts and opinions either way.

E-mail your thoughts to Brentt.Eads@LineDriveMedia.com and list what city and state you’re in. Important: if you prefer your name not be included, mention that as well.

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Softball

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Finally, if you want more context, read the media articles below…

• The Blaze – Boy who had birth certificate changed to ‘female’ now dominating girls’softball (May 1, 2025)  This article discusses Rothenberger’s participation in girls’ softball following a legal change to birth certificate at age nine. 
• Live Ball Sports – Controversy Surrounds Transgender Athlete Participation in Minnesota (May 1, 2025) This article provides a broader context of the debate over transgender athletes in Minnesota, using Rothenberger’s case as a focal point.
• Alpha News – Parents of dominant girls’ softball player had birth records changed from male to ‘female’ (May 4, 2025) Alpha News reported on the legal aspects of Rothenberger’s gender change and the reactions from the community.
• OutKick – Transgender High School Softball Pitcher Dominates As Battle Over Biological Men In Women’s Sports Rages (May 8, 2025) Article and podcast which focuses on Rothenberger’s athletic achievements and the broader implications for NCAA policies on transgender athletes.
• Stateline Sports Network – Transgender pitcher dominating Minnesota girls’ softball (May 10, 2025) This outlet highlighted Rothenberger’s performance in recent games and discussed state and federal policy tensions regarding transgender athletes.
• AOL News – Transgender Athlete In Girls’ High School Softball Exposed After Originally Concealing Sex From Teammates (May 2025) This article, published last week, covers Rothenberger’s contributions to the team’s success and the reactions from teammates and opponents.
• The SportsGrail – Who is Marissa Rothenberger, Champlin Park high school transgender softball player, bio, real name, gender, age, height and Instagram (May 9, 2025) This piece offers a biographical overview of Rothenberger, including early transition and softball career.
• Reduxx – Gender documentation change raises fairness questions (April 30, 2025) Reduxx reported on the legal changes to Rothenberger’s birth certificate and the ensuing discussions about fairness in sports.