Champlin Park High School just made history.
On May 29, 2025, their girls’ softball team pulled off a nail-biting 1-0 victory over Rogers to win the Class 4A, Section 5 championship; the kind of win that earns you a spot in the state tournament for the very first time.
Champagne corks (or at least Gatorade caps) were popping. Cheers echoed across the bleachers. Parents cried. Kids hugged.
But behind the scoreboard? A storm was brewing.
The pitcher who carried the Rebels to glory—Marissa Rothenberger, a 17-year-old junior—didn’t just throw 14 shutout innings. She also threw gas on one of the hottest debates in sports today.
Becasue Rothenberger is a transgender girl.
Last night, a man single-handedly carried his high school in Minnesota to a Class 4A Softball Championship.
He pitched 14 shutout innings in back-to-back games to defeat the defending state champs.
14. Shutout. Innings.
You are a shameful, sorry excuse for a man, @GovTimWalz pic.twitter.com/MGmBRPXdb7
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) May 30, 2025
The Stats Behind the Storm
Rothenberger has been dominant all season long: a 0.94 ERA, 71 strikeouts in just 52 innings, and a WHIP (walks and hits per inning) of 0.60.
Champlin Park came into the postseason with an 18-2 record, ranked No. 2 in Class 4A. The team had always been good—this year, they became great.
A big reason why? Rothenberger’s arm.
But not everyone’s clapping.
From Diamond to Docket
Just nine days before that win, a Texas-based nonprofit called Female Athletes United filed a federal lawsuit (Case No. 0:25-cv-2151) against Minnesota’s top officials—including Attorney General Keith Ellison, the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL), and Champlin Park’s school district.
The complaint? That letting Rothenberger, a biological male, compete in girls’ sports violates Title IX, the federal law meant to protect female athletes from losing opportunities.
Three girls are named as plaintiffs.
One said she was hit by one of Rothenberger’s pitches and described it as “unlike anything” she’d ever felt before.
Another dropped off a travel team after realizing she’d have to compete for a spot against Rothenberger.
A third says she’s just sick of losing to the same team over and over—especially when the loss comes courtesy of a one-hit shutout.
Look, everyone loves a Cinderella story… until Cinderella throws 65 MPH heat and shatters the glass slipper.
Rules? What Rules?
Minnesota’s policy, in place since 2015, allows athletes to play based on how they identify.
No testosterone suppression needed. No medical requirements. If you say you’re a girl, you’re in.
And Rothenberger’s paperwork checks out.
At age nine, a judge approved a change to her birth certificate. It now reads “female.”
Under MSHSL rules—and NCAA guidelines—that makes her eligible.
But here’s the wrinkle: President Trump signed an executive order earlier this year (Feb. 5, 2025) banning transgender girls from competing in women’s sports nationwide. It’s been enforced at the college level.
In high schools? Not yet. Which is why states like Minnesota are still doing their own thing.
Confused? So is everybody else.
Fair Play or Foul Ball?
Critics aren’t buying the “it’s all fair” line.
They point out the obvious: Rothenberger is six feet tall and biologically male.
Pitching in girls’ softball isn’t just about control—it’s about power. With more power comes a serious advantage in strength, speed, and durability.
Then there’s concern over opportunities.
Softball scholarships are competitive. So are roster spots and postseason accolades.
When the deck is stacked, what’s left for the girls who followed the rules… but not the politics?
Supporters of transgender athletes argue Rothenberger isn’t exactly blowing away the competition.
Her strikeout numbers, while strong, rank 20th in Class 4A.
They say she’s earned her place with skill and hard work—and that she’s been living as a girl for nearly a decade.
But opponents say that misses the point. It’s not about identity. It’s about biology.
The Media Pile-On
Naturally, the story has gone national.
Fox News, The Washington Times, and The Daily Mail all picked it up.
Outlets on the left have tried to reframe the story: brave young athlete overcomes adversity to help her team win.
And yes, Rothenberger has faced plenty of adversity. But that doesn’t mean everyone else has to pretend it’s not complicated.
Because it is.
What Happens Now?
Champlin Park is off to the state tournament. Rothenberger’s set to pitch. More headlines are guaranteed.
And the lawsuit? That’s just getting started.
Depending on how the courts rule, Minnesota’s entire policy on transgender athletes could be rewritten.
If that happens, other states will be watching closely.
The question isn’t just whether Marissa Rothenberger should pitch.
It’s whether girls’ sports are still girls’ sports.
So while the scoreboard says Champlin Park won 1-0… the bigger game is still being played, and the umpire hasn’t made the final call.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
