The 2023 ICCAC Softball season was successful with three teams reaching the World Series -- and in 2024 the field looks set for another competitive season across the board.
Competing in Division I are Indian Hills, Iowa Western, Marshalltown, Southeastern, and Southwestern. In 2023 it was the Indian Hills Warriors who were the champions in Region 11 -- for the eighth year in a row.
The Warriors swept through the regular season conference schedule, the regional tournament --- and then won the District Tournament to qualify for the National Tournament for the first time since 2019.
Iowa Western and Southeastern finished tied for second second behind the Warriors. Iowa Western earned the No. 2 seed at the Regional Tournament, but then were met by No. 3 Southeastern. Southeastern bested them in the first round and moved on to face the Warriors before ultimately finishing the season as the Region 11 runner-up.
Marshalltown and Southwestern round out the Division I teams. Southwestern finished with only three conference wins last year and will look to improve upon that record and attempt to catch up with the top teams in the conference. Marhsalltown did not play out their schedule last year but will look to return this year and compete amongst the other ICCAC teams.
Division II saw some great softball last year but in the end it was Kirkwood and DMACC who finished ahead of everyone else. Kirkwood finished higher in the conference standings and won both Region 11-A and their District Tournament before wrapping their season up in the elimination rounds at the World Series. DMACC won Region 11-B as the No. 3 seed and also won their district series. The Bears rallied to one game shy of reaching the National Championship game.
NIACC, Iowa Central, and Iowa Lakes are the teams to talk about that didn't win Region 11.
NIACC's turnaround from 2022 to 2023 was monumental. In 2023 they finished second in the ICCAC standings but fell short of reaching the regional title game. Despite that, the season was a success after a 33-game turnaround.
Iowa Central and Iowa Lakes both had good seasons and were in their respective Region 11 championship games, but both teams fell just short. Iowa Lakes fell to DMACC in the Region 11-B Championship while Iowa Central was two runs shy of winning Region 11-A against Kirkwood.
Rounding out the Division II teams are Ellsworth, Northeast, and Hawkeye. Ellsworth and Northeast both were eliminated in the first two games of the Region 11 Tournaments but will return looking to compete this season. Hawkeye is the newcomer on the block and will enter their first season as a program in 2024, they will look to make a good impression in a difficult conference.
Division I:
ICCAC Division I Softball Preview
Division II: