Women’s softball team officially launches in Wausau

The Wausau Woodchucks organization has officially announced its new women’s softball team. 

Operating under the temporary name Wausau Softball Club, the new team will kick off next year at Athletic Park. The team is similar to the Wausau Woodchucks, in that it will be a summer league for college softball players. 

The team tapped former Woodchucks Assistant General Manager Brianne Barta to run the team as its general manager. 

The team, which will get its final name via a contest the team launched Dec. 5, will join the new college summer team in its second year. This year the league kicked off with teams in La Crosse, Madison, Minot, N.D. and Mankato, Minn. They’ll play a 42-game season.

The Wausau Woodchucks planned to install astroturf at Athletic Field after the Woodchucks’ season this year in order to keep up with the demands of having two sports playing full summer seasons at the park. Woodchucks owner Mark Macdonald said that was necessary to handle the two teams and the softball team wouldn’t have happened without it.