A transgender high school softball pitcher in Minnesota was omitted from the All-State team despite a dominant, championship-winning season. Marissa Rothenberger of Champlin Park High School was not on the Minnesota Fastpitch Coaches Association’s list of 2024 All-State selections, an honor she received the previous year.
This season, Rothenberger led the Champlin Park Rebels to the AAAA Minnesota softball state championship with a 12-1 record, a 0.74 ERA, and a 0.65 WHIP. In the postseason, she pitched five consecutive games, allowing only one earned run in 35 innings while striking out 27 batters. She also contributed at the plate, going 5-for-16 with two doubles and three RBIs. This performance followed her 2023 season, where she was named a first-team All-State selection with a 0.40 ERA.
According to a source from the Minnesota Fastpitch Coaches Association, All-State honors are determined by a vote of member coaches, and an athlete must first be nominated by their own coach to be considered. It is currently unclear if Champlin Park’s head coach, Bryan Woodley, nominated Rothenberger.
Rothenberger’s participation has been a focal point of controversy, prompting a lawsuit and a federal investigation. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched a Title IX investigation into Minnesota on June 27 over its policies allowing transgender athletes in girls’ sports. This followed an existing Department of Education investigation into the state.
Three female softball players have also filed a lawsuit against the state, citing their experiences competing against a transgender athlete. One anonymous plaintiff, represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), issued a statement about the mental and physical challenges of the competition. “It’s a mental battle knowing that he has an advantage in the sport that I grew up playing, making it hard to even want to hit against him,” the player stated. “It’s simply unfair, and I hate that nothing is happening to change that.”
The Anoka-Hennepin School District, which includes Champlin Park, stated that all its student-athletes are eligible to compete under Minnesota State High School League rules and state law, declining further comment on a specific student due to data privacy laws and the active lawsuit.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has defended the state’s inclusive policy. “I believe it is wrong to single out one group of students who already face higher levels of bullying and harassment and tell these kids they cannot be on the team because of who they are,” Ellison said in a statement. “I will continue to defend the rights of all students to play sports with their friends and peers.”
The controversy has drawn national attention, sparking public debate among prominent figures like athletes Simone Biles and Riley Gaines. Public opinion on the issue appears divided. A New York Times/Ipsos survey from January 2024 found that 79% of 2,128 respondents, including 67% of Democrats or those leaning Democratic, do not believe that biological males who identify as women should be permitted to compete in women’s sports.
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