Wausau is the fifth team in NWLS adding to La Crosse, Madison, Mankato and Minot
Rochester, Minn. – We are thrilled to announce that Northwoods League Softball will be coming to Wausau in 2025. Like the Wausau Woodchucks, Wausau Softball will be a collegiate summer league women’s softball team with athletes coming from across the country to compete at Athletic Park and across the Upper Midwest.
Brianne Barta, who previously served as the Assistant General Manager for the Woodchucks, will lead the new team as their General Manager. “I’m very excited to see Brianne enter this leadership role,” said Wausau Woodchucks and Wausau Softball Owner, Mark Macdonald. “Over the past three years, Brianne has distinguished herself with her intelligence, creativity, hard work and genuine interest in the sports entertainment business. She will be a great person to lead us as we bring high level women’s sports entertainment to Central Wisconsin.”
Northwoods League Softball recently finished their inaugural season this past summer with teams located in La Crosse, Wisconsin; Madison, Wisconsin; Minot, North Dakota; and Mankato, Minnesota. The teams played a 42-game season from mid-June until early August. Playing in the league will help to prepare athletes for the college, Olympic, and future professional careers.
“I am excited for the opportunity to bring women’s collegiate softball to Wausau,” Barta says. “This is certainly an opportunity to do something that has not been done before in the city and to open new doors for women’s sports. With the growth in popularity in women’s sports in recent years, especially at the college level, an additional Northwoods League Softball team in Wausau will be a chance to highlight the skill and talent of more high-level female athletes.
This new addition of high-level collegiate softball coming to Wausau creates an important and unique opportunity for local softball athletes including the members of JBA Clutch Softball teams. These pioneering women will be a model of what young girls can do with their futures, in the world of sports and beyond.
For now, the team will be known as the Wausau Softball Club with a Name the Team contest starting on December 5th through the team’s website at wausausoftballclub.com. The Wausau Softball schedule and group hospitality and ticket packages will be available soon. Full season, half season, and select mini ticket plans are on sale now! Fans can call 715-845-5055 to be a part of this historic season.
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Leveraging the 31-year success of the Northwoods League, the first for-profit Summer Collegiate Baseball League, Northwoods League Softball (NWLS) is the first for-profit Women’s Summer Collegiate Softball League beginning play in the Upper Midwest in the summer of 2024. The purpose of the League will be to develop players for their college, Olympic and future professional play. Teams will be promoted similar to minor league baseball teams, playing games in front of fans in a fun, friendly, family-oriented environment.
The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history with 26 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, over 370 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford and World Series Champion and Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove, two-time Silver Slugger winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com), ESPN+, and the Northwoods League Network.