Anytime that you have the opportunity to receive advice about how to sustain academic success it is usually wise to heed the advice from an alum. Those words ring true when Salem basketball head coach Quntashea Lewis and softball head coach Kierston Garner offer academic success tips about the Winston-Salem, N.C., campus that the two graced during their undergraduate careers.

Lewis returned to Salem after spending the 2018-19 season at Mount Saint Mary College, where she served as assistant women's basketball coach. In her one year with Mount Saint Mary, she helped lead the program to its most successful season ever (23-6), which included advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Lewis, who is one of only three players in Salem history to score 1,000 career points, graduated Salem in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science and a minor in coaching.

Lewis capped off her playing career at Salem by ranking first in Salem's career history in offensive rebounds (335), defensive rebounds (472) and total rebounds (872). She also ranks second in Salem's career history in field goals made (475), points (1208) and points per game average (20.7).

Lewis closed out her Spirit career by ranking third in Salem history in minutes played (2508), games played (96), field goals made (475), field goals attempted (980), field goal percentage (.485), free throws made (241) and free throws attempted (385). Her accomplishments on the courts of Varsity Gym did not stop there, as she tallied 34 double-doubles as a Spirit. She holds the programs' single-game marks in defensive rebounds (17) and total rebounds (28).

Garner was named as head coach in the fall of 2018, guiding the Spirits to a 25-17 (10-7 USA South Conference) overall mark in her first year at the helm. Salem put together a pair of six-game winning streaks, the first of which occurred from March 17-March 20, to mark the fifth consecutive 20-win season for the program. The second six-game winning streak came in league play from April 3-7, resulting in league triumphs over Greensboro and Mary Baldwin.

In 2020, Garner's second year on the bench, the Spirits were 9-5 on the slate, which was shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Salem defended its home turf during the season, finishing 4-2, and rattled off nine straight wins from Feb. 29 through March 11. The streak, which began with a 4-1 win in the second game at Huntingdon, tied the 2017 unit for the longest winning streak in program history.

During her four-year collegiate career Garner, an infielder, was a four-time Great South Athletic Conference all league performer. She was named to the All-Freshman Team and North Carolina All-State second team in 2013 as a first-year. Garner later grabbed NCAA All-South Region First Team honors in 2016, when she was also named as the Great South Conference Player of the Year.

Garner finished her senior season in 2016 ranked in multiple NCAA DIII statistical categories. She finished was among the Top-25 performers in batting average (.564—12th), home runs (18—15th), home runs per game (.49—16th), and slugging percentage (1.154—21st).

ADVICE FROM GARNER, LEWIS ON WAYS TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS

Let's face it, we all know that we would rather be learning in the classrooms of Salem right now, but that unfortunately isn't the reality.  During this time of virtual learning many of us might think that we have a sound plan to minimize procrastination and get our work completed efficiently.  But that is not always the case.  This article is here to bring you some helpful tips!

Tips for Academic Success

• Time management

  • Build a study plan for yourself.
  • Weekly/daily plans:  Plan bigger projects out ahead of time to hold yourself accountable.  This helps keep all your activities from school to work in one location.
  • Avoid over scheduling:  If you have 16 credit hours, you might run into hardships with a 40-hour work schedule.  Pre-plan and make those managers/administrators aware of your needs.

• Create a home workspace

  • Away from distractions/others working from home alongside you.
  • With good internet connection and a backup plan if you were to lose your connection.
  • Somewhere other than your bed! (Don't work where you should rest.)

• Treat your online class like an in-person class

  • Turn on your camera if you are able and feel comfortable doing so.
  • Take notes. Avoid relying solely on printed PowerPoint slides.
  • Participate and actively engage in course conversations with your professors and peers.

• Tutoring /Academic support

  • Don't be afraid to ask for help.
  • Know where to go for help (Quest, Writing Center, Library Liaisons, etc.).
  • Don't wait until midterms or the last minute to try and bring up grades. Stay on top of them from day one.

• Communication is key

  • Check your email and moodle regularly for updated due dates, class times, and request from professors.
  • Contact professors to clarify any coursework related confusion.
  • Reach out to your peers. Start a class GroupMe to help guide one another through the semester.

• Extend yourself and others grace

  • Plan brain breaks throughout the day to help with Zoom/screen time fatigue.
  • Be patient with peers and professors.

As we all continue to coexist with our new normal that is remote learning, take these tips and use them to promote your virtual success.  Here's to having a productive and rewarding spring semester!

Kierston Garner, Head Softball Coach 
Quntashea Lewis, Head Women's Basketball Coach