OSHKOSH (WLUK) – It’s almost NCAA Tournament time for division three softball and baseball and for the first time since 2018, it includes both UW-Oshkosh programs.

Titans baseball made it every year throughout the 80’s and 90’s, but this marks just their 2nd appearance since 2008.

While for UWO softball this makes it 6 of the last 8 and last year at the World Series finishing 5th place. Asked if it’s safe to call you them a powerhouse at this point?

“I mean if you want to word it like that yea!” answered senior catcher & WIAC All-Time RBI leader Sophie Wery.

“Some may say we are a powerhouse but we have to back that up and I think we have been doing a pretty good job of that,” smiled head coach Scott Beyer, in his 12th season leading the program.

It’s kind of felt like an annual tradition, UW-Oshkosh softball hosting regional championships. This year marks three consecutive 2023, 2024, and 2025.

“On paper it’s 36-6 record (this season) and we have all these accolades but behind the scenes these kids are really fighting through a lot of pressure and all those things that come with success, they have fought through it,” Coach Beyer said.

“We don’t make any situation bigger than it needs to be. We can all make it happen there is not one weak spot in our line up, there is not one weak spot on our bench ,our entire team as a whole can get it done,” Wery added.

Albeit WIAC Tournament champions finishing the season 36-6, hosting regionals was not exactly expected.

“I was very surprised actually about 5 minutes before the selection show I prepared the kids said hey very small chance we are going to host, when they put an asterisk by our name man.. I was shocked and very happy,” Beyer said.

UW-Oshkosh baseball were also very close to earning rights to host. Titans had two chances to beat UW-Whitewater to win a WIAC Tournament title but falling in both, included holding a 9th inning lead in game-1.

“We wanted nothing more than to win the conference tournament, so it sucked getting our hearts ripped out of us – we were one pitch away and got it ripped out from right underneath us real quick. Now we can go into the (NCAA) tournament and have a little chip on our shoulder and be ready to go to war,” said senior pitcher Connor Brinkman.

It had been a long time since this once powerhouse heard their name called to appear in an NCAA Tournament so of course despite the WIAC title game “setback” they were pretty excited.

“Every single guy was just smiling ear to ear, everyone was super excited we have always been right there, right on the cusp, right on the edge multiple years in a row and it’s definitely frustrating but it’s something you learn from,” said graduate senior Zach Taylor.

When head coach Kevin Tomasiewicz took over 12 years ago, many thought he could bring the program back to the success of the glory days but this marked just their second NCAA Tournament selection in his tenure. Did he feel pressure in 2025 to see these kind of results?

“Absolutely, our athletics director asks me every year how we looking this year? I said we are going to be good this year so we knew we had a chance to be really really good. I think I gave myself an ulcer the last 4 or 5 weeks knowing this is the year we have the opportunity,” Tomasiewicz answered.

Friday baseball begins their regional title hunt at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota vs. University of Chicago at 10am.

Thursday softball hosts Concordia University Wisconsin at 11am