2026 Best Colleges for Women’s Softball (Division II) in Illinois

Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. We have ranked 5 colleges for Women’s Softball (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.

To help you decide, College Factual scores each program on a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and aid per athlete from the EADA survey), and overall school quality, drawing on NCAA, U.S. Department of Education EADA, and IPEDS data. Learn more about our ranking methodology.

Customize This Ranking

Looking for a different division or a related ranking? Pick a path below.

Top 5 Colleges for Women’s Softball (Division II)

Learn more about these schools below:

1

Lewis University
Romeoville, IL

85% Academic Quality Percentile

20 Team Participants

Leading the list is Lewis University, our #1 college for Women's Softball (Division II). Lewis University is a private not-for-profit school based in Romeoville, IL. Team revenue averages $26,560 per participant, compared with $26,560 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $9,669 per athlete.

2

McKendree University
Lebanon, IL

73% Academic Quality Percentile

20 Team Participants

McKendree University came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Women's Softball (Division II). McKendree University is a private not-for-profit school based in Lebanon, IL. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $27,286, against $27,286 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $6,695 per athlete.

3

University of Illinois Springfield
Springfield, IL

80% Academic Quality Percentile

22 Team Participants

University of Illinois Springfield earned the #3 place for student athletes. Based in Springfield, IL, University of Illinois Springfield is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $18,952, against $18,952 in expenses. The school awards about $4,768 in athletic aid per athlete.

4

Roosevelt University
Chicago, IL

77% Academic Quality Percentile

21 Team Participants

Roosevelt University landed the #4 spot for Women's Softball (Division II). Roosevelt University is a private not-for-profit school based in Chicago, IL. The program generates about $27,055 in revenue per athlete, compared with $27,055 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $8,633 per athlete.

5

Quincy University
Quincy, IL

67% Academic Quality Percentile

20 Team Participants

Quincy University earned the #5 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Quincy, IL. The program generates about $17,393 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $16,966 per participant. Athletic aid averages $8,507 per athlete.

See Other Sports

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.

This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology weighs a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and athletic aid from the federal EADA survey), and overall school quality. The current methodology measures academic-athletic quality and does not include team win/loss performance.

References

• NCAA Academic Progress Rate & Graduation Success Rate — National Collegiate Athletic Association (athlete academic outcomes).
• Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) — U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education (team participation, revenue, expenses, and aid).
• Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics (institutional data).

Read more about our data sources and methodologies.