Minnesota high school softball season faces strain of trans athlete conflict as Trump admin cracks down

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Minnesota’shigh school softball seasonwill be under a national spotlight for the second year in a row, and a hotter one than in 2025.

As the U.S.Department of Justice has launched aTitle IX lawsuit againstthe state’s education agencies for letting biological male trans athletes play in girls’ sports, Champlin Park High School is set to be a political target.

The high school rosters a trans pitcher on its softball team, who emerged as a dominant force en route to a state championship last year.

Transgender pitcher Marissa Rothenberger pitching during a Minnesota high school softball game

Transgender pitcher Marissa Rothenberger.(Amber Harding)

Now, that pitcher is playing for Champlin Park again this year while PresidentDonald Trump’sadministration tries to crack down.

The Anoka-Hennepin School District, which oversees Champlin Park, is standing by the athlete amid the renewed national scrutiny.

“The Champlin Park Softball team will compete in compliance with Minnesota State High School League rules and applicable Minnesota law this upcoming season.All participating student-athletes will meet the criteria for eligibility which aim to elevate standards of sportsmanship and encourage the growth of responsible citizenship for all involved.Because the school district isnamed in an active lawsuitinvolving last season, the District is limited in what additional information can be shared on this matter,�

A girls’ softball player, who is anonymouslyADF has filed an appealin appellate court and is awaiting a decision there.

CHAMPLIN PARK WINS MINNESOTA SOFTBALL STATE TITLE BEHIND TRANS PITCHER’S COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT

Former Minnesota high school and current NCAA softball playerKendall Kotzmacher lost a3-2 heartbreaker to Champlin Park last season, in what was her final high school game.

But Kozmacher’s younger sister, who lost with her in that game, is still set to play this season, and could be on a collision course with the trans pitcher again.

“My little sister, she played with me last year.She’s still playing, so it’s really hard,” Kotzmacher said.“I’m lucky enough that it’s not allowed at theNCAA level.But there’s all of these girls that I do not want them to ever have to go through the situations that I did, and I do not want my sister to have to deal with what I had to do and what she had to deal with last year again.”

Minnesota has faced its own internal conflict over the issue dating back to early 2025, when Democratic lawmakers in the state legislature struck down a bill that would have prevented biological males from competing in girls’ sports.

State Republicans renewed that effort in recent weeks amid the DOJ crackdown, but were once again unsuccessful due to Democrat control, as they failed to push a bill forward on the House Floor Tuesday.

“Protecting girls is not hate,” said state representative Krista Knudsen.“When biological males enter girls’ sports, girls lose.They lose medals, they lose roster spots, they lose college scholarships and they lose their safety.”

Democrat state representative Kelly Moller dismissed concerns over the issue.

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“My colleagues across the aisle say that you are bringing this to protect women and girls and that couldn’t be further from the truth.The real threat to women and girls is sexual assault and gender-based violence,” Moller said.

Meanwhile, 326 school board members in 125 school districts in the state signeda letterpleading with the state’s leadership to comply with Trump’s mandate to protect girls’ sports.

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Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.