Champlin Park High School made history Friday by winning the Minnesota Group 4A girls’ softball state championship — but the victory is drawing national attention not just for the achievement, but for who helped secure it. The Rebels’ dominant postseason was led by junior pitcher Marissa Rothenberger, a transgender-identifying male athlete who pitched a complete-game shutout in the final.
The No. 2-seeded Rebels defeated No. 4 Bloomington Jefferson 6–0 at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus. Rothenberger allowed only three hits and struck out six in the seven-inning shutout. For the tournament, Rothenberger pitched 21 total innings, gave up just two runs, and was named to the All-Tournament team.
The performance followed a dominant stretch in sectional finals, where Rothenberger threw 14 shutout innings. Across 35 postseason innings, Rothenberger allowed only two runs. Notably, the team’s other listed pitcher never took the mound during the tournament.
Champlin Park’s coach, Bryan Woodley, previously praised Rothenberger for being a clutch player and one of the best athletes on the team.
This marks the first time in school history that Champlin Park has won the state championship in girls’ softball. However, the win has sparked renewed scrutiny of Minnesota’s transgender athlete policies, with critics pointing to federal Title IX rules set during President Donald Trump’s administration that bar males from competing in female sports.
The Minnesota State High School League currently allows transgender-identifying males to compete in girls’ athletics, a policy that runs counter to federal guidance under Title IX. The Trump administration is reportedly considering action against states like Minnesota, California, and Maine for such violations.
The debate over fairness in girls’ sports continues to escalate nationwide, as biological distinctions between male and female athletes remain a flashpoint in discussions over equality, safety, and competitive integrity.
