NCAA DII
The University of Tampa Spartans have once again asserted their dominance in NCAA Division II baseball, claiming their 10th national championship and successfully defending last season’s title. With the win, they now stand alone atop the DII baseball record books, breaking their tie with Florida Southern for the most titles in division history.
It was a championship run foretold as early as February. Entering the 2025 season as the Perfect Game preseason favorite, the Spartans returned a powerful core from their 2024 title squad and bolstered it with high-profile transfers CJ Williams, Edgardo Villegas, Kevin Karstetter and Jordan Williams, and the return of JD Urso. Their roster was a blend of proven Spartan veterans and battle-tested newcomers, setting the stage for another historic year.
The Spartans rolled through the regular season and postseason with familiar dominance, but their semifinal showdown against Northwest Nazarene will go down as one of the most memorable moments in Tampa’s rich baseball history. Trailing 5-0 entering the bottom of the eighth and still down 5-1 in the ninth, the Spartans staged an epic six-run rally. After clutch hits by Urso and Woodburn, Villegas walked to load the bases. Karstetter delivered the biggest swing of the year—a three-run bomb to tie the game—and a throwing error moments later allowed Jake Griffith to race home from second for the dramatic walk-off victory and secure a spot in the national championship series.
Facing Central Missouri in the finals, the Spartans dropped game one before roaring back to force and win a decisive game three. In an inspired move, Tampa turned to reliever Eli Thurmond to start the finale. Despite it being his first start since 2023, Thurmond delivered when it mattered most, helping shut down a potent Mules offense and cement Tampa’s place in history.
With a perfect blend of power, pitching, and poise, the 2025 Spartans lived up to the immense expectations placed upon them from the season’s start. They finished with a staggering 55-10 record and captured their fourth national title in ten seasons, continuing their modern dynasty and reaffirming their status as the premier program in Division II baseball.
| Final Rk | Preseason Rk | School | State | Record |
| 1 | 1 | Tampa Spartans | FL | 55-10 |
| 2 | 2 | Central Missouri Mules | MO | 48-14 |
| 3 | Lenoir-Rhyne Bears | NC | 50-15 | |
| 4 | 15 | Texas Tyler Patriots | TX | 49-13 |
| 5 | 5 | East Stroudsburg Warriors | PA | 41-16 |
| 6 | 3 | Angelo State Rams | TX | 48-10 |
| 7 | 6 | Catawba Indians | NC | 46-14 |
| 8 | Pittsburg State Gorillas | KS | 42-12 | |
| 9 | 11 | Millersville Marauders | PA | 44-10 |
| 10 | Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks | ID | 46-16 | |
| 11 | 22 | Minnesota State Mavericks | MN | 51-8 |
| 12 | 8 | North Greenville Trailblazers | SC | 45-15 |
| 13 | 13 | Westmont Warriors | CA | 43-14 |
| 14 | 7 | Colorado Mesa Mavericks | CO | 42-14 |
| 15 | Florida Southern Moccasins | FL | 38-15-1 | |
| 16 | 10 | Cal State Monterey Bay Otters | CA | 39-19 |
| 17 | 4 | Point Loma Sea Lions | CA | 39-18 |
| 18 | Lander Bearcats | SC | 43-15 | |
| 19 | Belmont Abbey Crusaders | NC | 41-17 | |
| 20 | Northwood Wolves | MI | 40-22 | |
| 21 | 21 | North Georgia Nighthawks | GA | 41-17 |
| 22 | 18 | Young Harris Mountain Lions | GA | 40-17 |
| 23 | Seton Hill Griffins | PA | 40-16 | |
| 24 | Grand Valley State Lakers | MI | 43-14 | |
| 25 | Davenport Panters | MI | 42-15 |
NAIA
The LSU Shreveport Pilots entered the 2025 season with the weight of high expectations—and exceeded every one of them in unimaginable fashion. Projected as the Perfect Game preseason favorite, the Pilots didn’t just win the NAIA title this year—they rewrote history, completing a perfect 59-0 season and capturing the program’s first-ever NAIA Baseball National Championship.
From the season’s opening pitch, LSUS was a team on a mission. Armed with an explosive lineup and one of the most formidable pitching staffs in the nation, the Pilots dominated in every facet of the game. They sailed through the regular season, RRAC Tournament, Opening Round, and World Series without a single loss—becoming the first team in any level of college baseball history to go undefeated while winning a national title.
The championship game itself was a microcosm of their season. Down 4-0 early to perennial powerhouse Southeastern (Fla.), the Pilots didn’t blink. Behind clutch hitting and relentless pressure, LSUS erupted for eight unanswered runs after falling behind 7-5, flipping the script and securing a 13-7.
Veteran infielder Jose Sallorin led the comeback charge with three hits and three RBIs, while Ryan Davenport drove in another three. Transfers Jackson Syring and Ian Montz launched back-to-back home runs in the sixth to break the game open. The offense was relentless, with Josh Gibson, Austin Gomm, and Syring delivering insurance runs late to put the game out of reach.
On the mound, Kenneth Schechter was masterful in relief, tossing four scoreless innings for the win. Isaac Rohde, the nation’s ERA leader and RRAC Pitcher of the Year, fittingly closed out the game and the season with a dominant ninth inning.
Guided by head coach Brad Neffendorf, now in his sixth season, LSUS shattered expectations and records alike. Their 59 wins are the most in program history, and their win streak is now the longest in college baseball history—a feat unmatched at any level of the sport.
With a lineup anchored by stars like Vantrel Reed, Josh Gibson, and Sallorin, a rotation led by Rohde, Zeigler, and Meinderts, and a roster bolstered by elite transfers, the Pilots were the embodiment of excellence from start to finish.
The 2025 Pilots didn’t just win—they made history. This was not just a championship season; it was a season that will be remembered as one of the greatest in the annals of college baseball.
| Final Rk | Preseason Rk | School | State | Record |
| 1 | 1 | LSU Shreveport Pilots | LA | 59-0 |
| 2 | 20 | Southeastern Fire | FL | 47-15 |
| 3 | 5 | Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies | GA | 56-7 |
| 4 | 3 | Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs | TN | 48-14 |
| 5 | 16 | Hope International Royals | CA | 48-10 |
| 6 | 2 | Cumberlands Patriots | KY | 50-12 |
| 7 | 11 | Loyola Wolf Pack | LA | 42-18 |
| 8 | 6 | Webber International Warriors | FL | 44-15 |
| 9 | 7 | Reinhardt Eagles | GA | 43-13 |
| 10 | 4 | Missouri Baptist Spartans | MO | 42-11 |
| 11 | 12 | Taylor Trojans | IN | 47-11 |
| 12 | 14 | Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles | OK | 47-11 |
| 13 | 8 | Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes | KS | 41-15 |
| 14 | 22 | William Carey Crusaders | MS | 38-14 |
| 15 | Cumberland Phoenix | TN | 39-18-1 | |
| 16 | 9 | Arizona Christian Firestorm | AZ | 40-16-1 |
| 17 | Grand View Vikings | IA | 38-14 | |
| 18 | 21 | Concordia Bulldogs | NE | 41-13 |
| 19 | Keiser Seahawks | FL | 37-17 | |
| 20 | British Columbia Thunderbirds | BC | 39-19 | |
| 21 | Columbia Cougars | MO | 43-11 | |
| 22 | 13 | Mid-America Christian Evangels | OK | 41-17 |
| 23 | 15 | Central Methodist Eagles | MO | 35-15 |
| 24 | 24 | Oakland City Mighty Oaks | IN | 40-17 |
| 25 | Johnson Royals | TN | 36-18 |
NCAA DIII
What began with high expectations has ended in historic fashion for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team. Ranked third in the Perfect Game preseason as they returned nearly every major offensive contributor, the Warhawks stormed through the 2025 campaign to claim their third NCAA Division III national championship, overwhelming upstart underdog Messiah University in commanding fashion with back-to-back lopsided blowouts, including a 21-5 clincher.
UW-Whitewater capped off a 49-6 season—the best in program history—not just by winning, but by rewriting the Division III record books. The Warhawks scored 74 runs over five games at the World Series, the most ever in the event’s history, and their 21-run outburst in the championship finale was the second-highest total in a title game.
After falling just short in 2024 as national runners-up, head coach John Vodenlich—now with three titles (2005, 2014, 2025)—led a veteran-heavy squad back to the mountaintop. Preseason concerns about a rebuilt pitching staff proved unfounded, as the Warhawks’ arms delivered when it mattered, complementing an offense that led the nation in total bases and slugging percentage.
Adam Cootway was named Most Outstanding Player of the World Series after delivering a historic performance. He batted .615 (16-for-26) with a 1.963 OPS, 10 RBIs, and 12 runs scored, while setting tournament records for total bases (34), runs, and triples. His power surge included four home runs, helping fuel an offense that overwhelmed opposing pitching from start to finish.
The 2025 Warhawks weren’t just champions—they were juggernauts. Returning nearly every position player from a record-setting 2024 season, they improved on every front: more wins, more power, better pitching, and deeper resilience. UW-Whitewater baseball is once again the standard in Division III, and this year’s team has firmly cemented its place among the most dominant in DIII history.
| Final Rk | Preseason Rk | School | State | Record |
| 1 | 3 | UW-Whitewater Warhawks | WI | 49-6 |
| 2 | 2 | Endicott Gulls | MA | 45-6 |
| 3 | 6 | Denison Big Red | OH | 41-7 |
| 4 | 1 | Johns Hopkins Blue Jays | MD | 44-5 |
| 5 | 21 | Rowan Profs | NJ | 38-12 |
| 6 | Trinity Tigers | TX | 41-10 | |
| 7 | Kean Cougars | NJ | 41-11 | |
| 8 | 4 | Lynchburg Hornets | VA | 41-9 |
| 9 | 5 | Salve Regina Seahawks | RI | 36-9 |
| 10 | Messiah Falcons | PA | 39-16 | |
| 11 | 9 | Case Western Reserve Spartans | OH | 30-14-1 |
| 12 | 8 | Salisbury Seagulls | MD | 34-10 |
| 13 | 15 | Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags | CA | 35-15 |
| 14 | 17 | La Verne Leopards | CA | 35-11 |
| 15 | 11 | UW LaCrosse Eagles | WI | 35-11 |
| 16 | 18 | Penn State Harrisburg Lions | PA | 34-13-1 |
| 17 | 24 | Centre Colonels | KY | 32-11 |
| 18 | Webster Gorloks | MO | 37-9 | |
| 19 | 13 | Cortland State Red Dragons | NY | 31-13 |
| 20 | Brockport Golden Eagles | NY | 36-5-2 | |
| 21 | McMurry War Hawks | TX | 35-13 | |
| 22 | Gustavus Adolphus Gusties | MN | 37-9 | |
| 23 | UW-Oshkosh Titans | WI | 35-16 | |
| 24 | 10 | East Texas Baptist Tigers | TX | 31-16 |
| 25 | Belhaven Blazers | MS | 34-15 |