With tremendous determination, courage, and strength of heart, the Muskingum softball team – under the leadership of legendary Coach Donna Newberry – won the University's first NCAA Division III team national championship in its 165-year history on Sunday, May 20, 2001. 

Muskingum won the NCAA Division III Softball National Championship with a 4-1 triumph over Central College of Pella, Iowa at Gelein Field. The Muskies went through the eight-team, double-elimination tournament unbeaten and extended their consecutive game win streak to 34 games, a Division III record, breaking the mark of 33 set by St. Mary's University (MN) in 1998 and equaled by Muskingum in 1999.

The victory, a school-record 47th for the season against just six losses, was a bittersweet one for Muskingum in that assistant coach John Wells collapsed during warmups for the Muskies' Friday game against defending national champion St. Mary's. He died later that night at an Eau Claire hospital. 

The championship game was won for Muskingum when Shelli Manson and Jennifer Shay hit back-to-back pitches for home runs that staked the Muskies to a 3-0 lead in the fourth. Manson's came with a runner on base.

While Central scored a run in the top of the fifth, Muskingum regained the three-run advantage with a run in the bottom of the fifth off the bat of Mandy Carnes who doubled home Chantelle Andrews who had singled and advanced to second on a single by Julie Ryan.

Dani Keiffer, who handled the pitching duties for all 28 of the Muskies' innings in the national tournament, earned her 30th win of the season against just three losses. She gave up six hits with no walks and no strikeouts. She allowed only two runs during the entire tournament and only Central's in the championship game was earned.

Keiffer was one of four Muskingum players named to the All-Tournament team. The others included infielders Carla Kampschmidt (first base) and Ryan (shortstop) and outfielder Shay.

The Muskingum National Championship team featured - Erin Zupko, Tami Anglin, Tammy Ulrich, Angie Burnside, Megan Monsman, Erin Calabrese, Shauna Jellison, Jeanna Rayman, Mariah Holden, Mandy Carnes, Shelly DeLucas, Elizabeth Gibson, Shelli Manson, Chantelle Andrews, Carla Kampschmidt, Dani Kieffer, Jamie Shepherd, Leslie Deal, Julie Ryan, Head Coach Donna Newberry, Assistant Coach Sandra Sanford, Pitching Coach John Wells, Trainer Heather Peterson, Statistician Emily Chapin, Student Assistant Mindy Becker.