{"id":34990,"date":"2025-06-02T13:51:28","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T13:51:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/grand-forks-softball\/?page_id=34990"},"modified":"2025-11-12T15:45:24","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T15:45:24","slug":"nwl-softball-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/grand-forks-spitfires\/nwl-softball-2\/","title":{"rendered":"NWL Softball"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Not Your Average Summer League<\/b><\/h1><\/div>

And Definitely Not the Last One That Was Here.<\/b><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get this out of the way:<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes \u2014 we know Grand Forks has heard the pitch before. The team, the league, the \u201cbig dreams.\u201d And yes \u2014 we know how that turned out.<\/span><\/p>\n

But this isn\u2019t that. This isn\u2019t a league without a plan. This isn\u2019t a one-summer wonder.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is <\/span>Northwoods League Softball (NWLS)<\/b> \u2014 and we\u2019re built different.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Northwoods League Baseball<\/strong><\/h1><\/div>
<\/i><\/span><\/div>

32 Years<\/h2><\/div>
<\/div>
\n

The NWL has been doing this for over three decades. Founded by Dick and Kathy Radatz, it\u2019s one of the most respected summer collegiate leagues in the nation.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/span><\/div>

24 Teams<\/h2><\/div>
<\/div>
\n

The league hosts 24 baseball teams across North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and even Canada.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/span><\/div>

1.3 Million Fans<\/h2><\/div>
<\/div>
\n

Every year more than 1.3 million fans attend Northwoods League games throughout the season.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/span><\/div>

400+ MLB Alumni<\/h2><\/div>
<\/div>
\n

More than 400 Northwoods League players have made their debut in Major League Baseball.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Northwoods League Softball<\/strong><\/h1><\/div>

A League for Women, Built by People Who Believe in It<\/em><\/p><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Kathy Radatz<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p><\/h2><\/div>

<\/p>\n

\t\t\tChairman | NWLS<\/p>\n

\t<\/i><\/h4><\/div>

Kathy Radatz is a retired HR executive with over 35 years of experience in financial services and defense technology. As HR Managing Director at Citigroup, she led global transformation initiatives and oversaw the implementation of Workday across 200,000 employees in 98 countries. She holds an MBA and a BBA degree from the University of Michigan, where she was a member of the first softball team.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/p>\n

\t\t\tKathryn Reynolds<\/b><\/h2><\/div>

President\/Commissioner | NWLS<\/h4><\/div>

Reynolds earned her degrees in Business Management and Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa, where she also played on the women\u2019s basketball team and later served on the coaching staff for six seasons. During her tenure, the team won two Big Ten titles and made a National Championship appearance. She comes from a sports-driven family, with her father and brother both working in professional baseball.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

The Softball Talent is Real<\/strong><\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/span>

2024 inaugural season<\/strong><\/h3><\/span>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/div><\/div>

4 teams<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/div><\/div>

47,711 fans<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/div><\/div>

20 NCAA DI Athletes<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/span>

2025 season<\/strong><\/h3><\/span>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/div><\/div>

expanded to 5 teams<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/div><\/div>

total attendance = 66,207
(39% increase from last season)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/div><\/div>

over 67 ncaa DI athletes<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Softball is Booming<\/strong><\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div>

Pro Softball<\/strong><\/h2>\n