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A transgender high school pitcher in Minnesota was not included in an annual coaches’ poll of All-State selections despite a dominant season that ended with a championship.
The trans athlete, Marissa Rothenberger of Champlin Park High School, was absent from the Minnesota Fastpitch Coaches Association list of 2025 All-State honors.
Rothenberger previously made the list as a first-team All-State selection in Class AAAA in 2024. Rothenberger also won all-tournament honors in 2025.
This year, Rothenberger was left off the list despite a 12-1 record, a 0.74 ERA and a 0.65 WHIP.
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Marissa Rothenberger celebrates in the dugout with teammates after Champlin Park’s dramatic win. (Amber Harding)
Rothenberger’s 0.74 ERA was among the best in the state, and the athlete pitched five straight games in the postseason, giving up just one earned run in 35 innings while striking out 27 batters. Rothenberger also went 5-for-16 at the plate, with two doubles, three RBIs and a run scored in the Rebels’ run to the 2025 AAAA Minnesota softball state championship.
The pitcher’s 2024 season, recognized with first-team All-State honors, did include a better ERA at 0.40.
A Minnesota Fastpitch Coaches Association source told Fox News Digital selections are determined through a vote of member coaches, and an athlete must be nominated by her own coach to be considered.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Champlin Park High School softball head coach Bryan Woodley asking if he nominated Rothenberger.
Rothenberger’s presence in Minnesota girls softball brought national scrutiny, a lawsuit and a federal investigation this year.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched a Title IX investigation into the state of Minnesota June 27, citing a male softball pitcher who had won a state championship.
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The state was already under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for its laws allowing biological males in girls sports and defying President Donald Trump’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order. That investigation was elevated to a federal Title IX investigation team, which operates in conjunction with the Department of Justice, June 12.
Three softball players in Minnesota filed a lawsuit against the state, citing their experiences competing against a biological male.
The organization representing the plaintiffs suing the state over its policies, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), previously provided a statement from one of the female players about her experience facing the trans athlete.
“Hitting against him is not only a physical challenge but a mental, too. 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 said.
“His ability to get outs and spin the ball is a strong advantage, but, like I said, it’s also incredibly mentally challenging knowing that you’re competing against someone who has unfair advantages leaving you with little to no confidence.
“This issue has affected me in ways that I never imagined. It’s simply unfair, and I hate that nothing is happening to change that. Boys should not be able to take girls’ spots on teams just because they are capable of doing so. I hope that more girls affected by this issue will stand up against this.”
Transgender pitcher Marissa Rothenberger (Amber Harding)
The anonymous player also called out Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison for aggressively defending trans inclusion in girls sports in the state. Ellison has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and the U.S. Department of Justice over Trump’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order.
“It’s really upsetting to know that [Ellison] isn’t taking rights of girls and women seriously. He is allowing boys to compete with girls, and it is not safe and completely unfair. To know that AG Ellison is in complete support of letting boys and men take advantage of females in sports is absolutely disgusting and wrong,” the player added.
The Champlin Park School District provided a statement to Fox News Digital defending the decision to allow the athlete to compete on the softball team.
“Throughout the entire season, and as the Rebels advance to the state tournament, it is important to note that all of the student-athletes participating for the Champlin Park Softball team are eligible to compete in compliance with Minnesota State High School League rules and applicable state law. Due to data privacy laws, the district is not able to provide public comment regarding a specific student-athlete,” a statement from the Anoka-Hennepin School District stated.
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“In addition, the district is named in an active lawsuit, which limits what information can be shared.”
Ellison’s office previously released a statement responding to the lawsuit against the state over Rothenberger’s participation in the girls softball season.
“In addition to getting exercise and the fun of competition, playing sports comes with so many benefits for young people. You build friendships that can last a lifetime, you learn how to work as part of a team and you get to feel like you belong,” Ellison said.
“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. I will continue to defend the rights of all students to play sports with their friends and peers.”
The controversy involving Rothenberger was a catalyst for a viral feud between Simone Biles and Riley Gaines in June. Biles initially called out Gaines in response to a post by Gaines pointing out that the Minnesota State High School League disabled comments on its post announcing Champlin Park’s softball team as state champions.
Champlin Park and Eagan players shake hands after the quarterfinal round of the Minnesota state softball tournament. (Amber Harding/OutKick)
A January 2025 New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don’t think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women’s sports.
Of the 2,128 people who participated, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women’s sports. Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democratic, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.
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