The La Crosse Steam are a fastpitch softball team that plays in the softball branch of the collegiate summer Northwoods League, also known as Northwoods League Softball (NWLS). The Steam play their home games at Copeland Park in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The team shares the ballpark with the NWL's La Crosse Loggers, with field modifications made for conversion between softball and baseball.
In May 2023, the Northwoods League announced that they were creating a summer collegiate softball league to begin play in 2024. Explaining the rationale, co-founder Kathy Radatz said âÂÂWe have seen tremendous growth in interest in womenâÂÂs softball in recent years, and we are excited to be able to provide a platform for female athletes to continue to hone their skills and compete at a high level during the summer months.âÂÂ
In 2024, La Crosse joined with teams in Madison, Wisconsin; Mankato, Minnesota; and Minot, North Dakota in the inaugural season of the upstart softball league. The Steam played against the Madison Night Mares in the first ever NWLS game, hosted at Copeland Park, taking a 2âÂÂ1 win. La Crosse finished their inaugural season with a 17âÂÂ25 record, third place among the four teams.
In 2025, NWLS expanded to five teams with the addition of Wausau, Wisconsin. The Steam finished the season with a record of 16âÂÂ26, better only than the Wausau Ignite and falling short of the NWLS's first ever playoff series.
In 2023, La Crosse was announced as the first host site for an NWLS team, and the team solicited suggestions for the team nickname. The names were narrowed down to five: Legacy, Velocity, Steam, Cruisers, and Maple Leafs. After a fan vote, Steam was chosen, as a reference to the history of La Crosse and its connection to steamboats. Uniform colors include orange and light blue.