Michigan Claims 2024 Big Ten Softball Tournament Title

Photo by Matthew Putney

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Michigan added another conference championship to its trophy case with a 3-1 victory over Indiana in the Championship Game of the 2024 Big Ten Softball Tournament Presented by DirecTV. Saturday's victory at Pearl Field was the 11th Big Ten Tournament title for the Wolverines and their first since 2019.

Michigan (41-17) will receive the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, which begins next week.

Junior pitcher Lauren Derkowski was named Most Outstanding Player after fanning six and allowing one run in her third complete game of the tournament. She made the final out, knocking down a liner off the bat of Brianna Copeland and tossing to first. Copeland, who excelled in the circle as well, was one of five Hoosiers named to the all-tournament.

Indiana (40-18), which appeared in its second-straight final, put the game's first run on the board on Aaliyah Andrew's RBI double in the top of the second. Michigan answered with a run in the fourth and two unearned runs in the bottom sixth.

The NCAA Tournament field will be revealed on Sunday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

Tournament MOP
Lauren Derkowski, Michigan

All-Tournament Team
Aaliyah Andrews, Indiana
Brooke Benson, Indiana
Alex Cooper, Indiana
Brianna Copeland, Indiana
Aly VanBrandt, Indiana
Courtney Wyche, Maryland
Lauren Derkowski, Michigan
Ella McVey, Michigan
Keke Tholl, Michigan
Billie Andrews, Nebraska
Hilary Blomberg, Wisconsin
Tessa Magnanimo, Wisconsin