From barely having enough members to form a team to competing at the Division I level, club softball has undergone a significant transformation.

In 2023, the team only had eight members, limiting how many games they could play. While the club used every moment during practice to improve their skills, there were only three games in which they could showcase their hard work. It was not until 2024 that things began to change for the better. It could be the increase in members – from eight to 12 – or slight adjustments during their training, but the team won the Division II championship.

“We all had that competitiveness, but also wanted to have fun with each other,” treasurer Noli Hillmann said. “We kind of just clicked as a team and wanted the same things.”

As the club continued to grow, so did their relationship with each other. They began to loosen up, squeezing in silly and fun activities as well as taking the time to get to know one another. Doing this created a balance between continuously evolving their skills and maintaining the connection among the team. Instead of wanting to win just to win, they wanted their friends to win alongside them.

“I feel like that connection outside of being on the field helps, because then you know how the person next to you is gonna react or how you can communicate with them better,” club Vice President Lydia Miller said.

After winning back-to-back Division II National Club Softball Association (NCSA) World Series titles, the Warhawks were pushed up. This came as a sudden surprise to the team. The team received an email in July 2025 sent to all Division I teams, which is how they discovered their new placement.

“I had my concerns because I’m like, ‘We’re a small school playing against Wisconsin and Michigan,’” softball club president Kate Cavanaugh said. 

When expressing these concerns, the NCSA encouraged them that UW-W fit right in with the other Division I softball clubs.

 “I was like, ‘Okay, if he believes in us and he saw us playing in the World Series for D2, I trust what he’s saying.’”

During the fall, it quickly became clear that the NCSA was not wrong. Competing against those same bigger schools that made them worry, the Warhawks won nine of their 12 games. The club found themselves already preparing for the playoffs.

“We’ll probably end up playing Michigan, who won the whole World Series last year, so that’ll be the real test,” Cavanaugh said. “But [even if] we get last place in the playoffs, I still would be happy.”

UW-W’s club softball team has already gone from struggling to competing at a Division I level. Regardless of what happens in the playoffs, it is only up from here.