Of the nearly 400 teams that compete nationally in Division III softball, St. Thomas is regarded among the nation’s elite programs.

Led by two-time National Coach of the Year John Tschida, the Tommies won back-to-back NCAA titles in 2004 and 2005. The 2006 Toms lost two one-run games at nationals to finish second nationally.

In 2004 Tschida became the first softball coach to win NCAA championships at two different schools. He reached 800 career victories in 2015, and coached his 1000th college softball game in 2016.

He's been named NFCA Division III National Coach of the Year twice, and was named Region Coaching staff of the Year in 2014 and 2016.

In 22 years of college coaching, Tschida has won three national championships and became the winningest Division III coach, active or retired, (winning percentage, .845) with a 856-157 record.

He guided St. Thomas to a 43-8 record in 2016 and a seventh-place NCAA finish out of 405 Division III programs. UST went 20-2 against conference opponents. It swept the MIAC regular-season and playoff championships in 2016 for the 11th time in the last 13 seasons.

In the last 15 seasons alone, Tschida has guided the Tommies to

• Five College World Series trips (eight-team nationals)
• NCAA crowns in 2004 and 2005; second at nationals in 2006; third in 2014
• Victories in 43 of 63 postseason tournament games (MIAC, NCAA regional, NCAA finals)
• A 88-31 overall postseason record
• A 38-4 mark in the MIAC playoffs
• An overall record of 614-93 (.869 win %).

Tschida guided St. Mary's to the 2000 NCAA Division III championship is his sixth season at his alma mater, and then took the 2004 Tommies to NCAA gold in his fourth season at St. Thomas. Tschida's 2005 team won 32 of its last 33 games to close 43-6 and repeat as NCAA champion. He was again awarded National Coach of the Year honors.

Tschida has been named MIAC Coach of the Year 11 of his 22 years. His teams have been nationally ranked each season, and in the last 18 seasons have posted a 393-35 record (.918 win %) in conference regular-season play.

In 16 seasons at St. Thomas, his teams have swept 159 conference twinbills, split 16 and were swept just twice, and in all games vs. conference opponents are 265-24 (.917 win %). His UST players have earned 33 NCAA All-American honors, 47 CoSIDA Academic All-American honors, and more than 100 first-team All-MIAC honors.