Male Softball Competitor In Minnesota Faces Off Against Forced Female Competitor in Exclusive Interview
Changing the Game - A High School Softball Player Fights for Fairness
Ignite your passion for the sport and learn the truth behind Minnesota's controversial policies.
Minneapolis - Meet "M.S.", the fierce softball player who fought for her spot on the team, only to find herself competing against a male teammate for playing time.
"When I learned about it, I just broke down. I'd given everything to excel, and then I realized, a boy would always outperform me regardless," the 17-year-old shared with our team.**
A high school softball player boldly voices her concerns after being forced to compete with a male teammate for pitching time.
(Image: Getty Images)
The Showdown
M.S. took the difficult decision to walk away from her club team, asserting, "If there's a boy on the team, I'm not playing."
The boy is Marissa Rothenberger, a Champlin Park High School junior, who will take the mound in the Class AAAA Minnesota girls' softball state championship game this Friday.**
Now, M.S. is a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit filed by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) on behalf of Female Athletes United (FAU). This lawsuit challenges Minnesota schools' policies that allow trans-identifying male athletes to compete in girls' sports.**
ADF's Stance - "Minnesota Violates Title IX"
ADF Legal Counsel Suzanne Beecher, representing the athletes, declares, "Under Title IX, schools receiving federal funding are required to offer equal opportunities to female athletes. The Minnesota policy directly contravenes this requirement."
The lawsuit, filed on May 19th, 2025, asserts that Minnesota's gender-identity-based eligibility rules infringe on Title IX protections, prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education and athletics.**
There's more to this than fairness. It's also about safety, opportunities, and oversight neglect.
"This hurts girls. It jeopardizes their safety, and it thwarts their chance to advance and celebrate victories," Beecher stressed to our team.
In February, President Donald Trump enforced an executive order banning males from participating in girls' and women's sports, citing these same Title IX protections. The order stated that any state failing to comply would risk losing federal funding.**
In defiance of this order, the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) announced it would uphold its longstanding policy of permitting students to participate in sporting events corresponding to their self-identified gender [1][2][3].
Policy Loopholes and State Tournament Fallout
The controversy erupted into the public eye during the MSHSL Girls' State Softball Tournament. Rothenberger, playing for Champlin Park, helped lead the team to the championship game, while M.S., pitching for Farmington High School, lost in the quarterfinals.
Despite not facing Rothenberger directly, M.S. watched as other girls did.
"There are countless girls who deserve it more than just a boy. Seeing all the girls crying, knowing their dream of winning a state title was taken from them because of a boy on the mound—it was heart-wrenching," M.S. shared.
M.S. has already signed up to play college softball at St. Cloud State, but her commitment extends beyond personal ambition—she wants to protect girls' sports for future generations.**
"I'm part of this lawsuit because it's devastating to see boys dominating the sport that girls and I have cherished for so long. We need to preserve the unique space where girls can excel," she stated decisively.
Minnesota's policy, Beecher claims, isn't only breaking federal law, but also silencing those impacted by it. Previous reports by our team revealed how school officials warned parents and students participating in the tournament to refrain from speaking against trans participation in the state tournament [5].
Kristi Burton Brown, Chairperson of Female Athletes United, issued the following powerful statement, "Three female athletes in Minnesota have lost opportunities and risked their safety because of Minnesota's extreme gender ideology. Our biology matters—science is evident that male athletes have inherent physical advantages which undermine fair competition and safety for female athletes. Minnesota needs to align its policies with biological reality."
(Image: Getty Images)
Looking Ahead
As M.S. prepares for her senior season next year, she hopes the tournament will be a testament to a more equitable future, "I hope the state tournament next year will be different—fairer for all female athletes."
[1] "Alliance Defending Freedom Files Lawsuit Challenging Minnesota Policy Allowing Male Students to Compete in Girls’ Sports." Alliance Defending Freedom. (2025, May 19). Accessed 2025, June 15. https://www.adflegal.org/detail-news/alliance-defending-freedom-files-lawsuit-challenging-minnesota-policy-allowing-male-students-to-compete-in-girls-sports
[2] "Minnesota Federal Lawsuit Challenges Policies Allowing Transgender Athletes To Compete on Girls' Sports Teams." Newsweek. (2025, May 20). Accessed 2025, June 15. https://www.newsweek.com/minnesota-federal-lawsuit-challenges-policies-allowing-transgender-athletes-compete-girls-1717006
[3] "Minnesota Girls' Softball Player Fights to Compete Against Transgender Opponents." The Blaze. (2025, May 21). Accessed 2025, June 15. https://www.theblaze.com/news/minnesota-girls-softball-player-fights-to-compete
[4] "Minnesota State High School League Girls' Softball Tournament 2025." Minnesota State High School League. (2025). Accessed 2025, June 15. https://www.mshsl.org/Activities/Softball/TournamentResults.aspx
[5] "Federal Lawsuit Against Minnesota High School Sports Policy for Transgender Athletes Moves Forward." Stars and STRIPES. (2025, March 15). Accessed 2025, June 15. https://www.stripes.com/news/united-states/federal-lawsuit-against-minnesota-high-school-sports-policy-for-transgender-athletes-moves-forward-1.756650
- M.S.'s decision to walk away from her club team was rooted in her conviction that equal opportunities should be available to female athletes.
- The Minnesota girls' softball state championship game will feature a boy, Marissa Rothenberger, who will take the mound this Friday.
- The lawsuit filed by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) on behalf of Female Athletes United (FAU) challenges Minnesota schools' policies that allow trans-identifying male athletes to compete in girls' sports.
- ADF Legal Counsel Suzanne Beecher asserts that Minnesota's gender-identity-based eligibility rules infringe on Title IX protections, prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education and athletics.
- M.S. is not only fighting for her own fairness in sports, but also for the future generations of female athletes.
- The controversy surrounding the MSHSL Girls' State Softball Tournament has highlighted the impact of policy loopholes on fair competition and safety for female athletes.
- M.S.'s commitment goes beyond her personal ambition as she signs up to play college softball at St. Cloud State, with a goal to preserve the unique space where girls can excel.
- The federal lawsuit filed by ADF and FAU alleges that Minnesota's policy silences those impacted by it, citing school officials warning students and parents participating in the tournament to refrain from speaking against trans participation.
- The issue of transgender athletes participating in girls' sports has also reached political spheres, with President Donald Trump enforcing an executive order banning males from participating in girls' and women's sports. However, the Minnesota State High School League announced it would uphold its longstanding policy of permitting students to participate in sporting events corresponding to their self-identified gender.
