Since becoming an NCAA Division III sport in 2012, the Salem softball program has earned 176 victories, including 73 against league opponents from both the Great South Athletic Conference and the USA South Conference.

The Spirits have earned at least 20 wins on five occasions in the same 10-year stretch, including a program-record 27, which came in 2017 under then-head-coach Scott Long. The 2017 campaign also set the program's standard for most single-season home wins (17), most single-season road wins (8) and most single-season conference victories (16).

Entering the 11th season in program history in 2022, there have been 71 players to don a jersey for the Spirits, who have contributed to the success of the program in their own unique way.

Among those 71 players to make a significant impact on Salem's softball success is Jennifer "Vit" Vitarelli, who graduated in 2018 with a bachelor of arts in economics as well as a bachelor of arts in business administration with concentration in marketing.

When she recounts her career at Salem, Vitarelli says "my fondest sports moment has to be winning the conference tournament my first year at Salem in 2015. The program was still relatively new and that year we had a very young team. The seniors that year were part of the first recruiting class when they were first years and with all the players before them, laid the groundwork for the future of the program. They were hungry for a win and we were young players ready to work.

"Everything came together for us at the tournament and we were able to bring the first Salem softball conference championship to the program," added Vitarelli. "Even more memorable than the win itself, was how much fun we had during that time. Everyone on that team was willing to do what it took to win, which created an atmosphere of trust and overall good times. 'Team Four' will always be one of my favorites."

Vitarelli has set the standard for all incoming players to the Salem softball program, owning seven career hitting records and ranking among the Top-5 in 11 career hitting categories heading into the 2022 campaign.

A lifetime .357 hitter, which ranks her 11th in program history, 'Vit' leads the Spirits in career games played (160), games started (160), at bats (544), runs (157), hits (194), stolen bases (38) and stolen bases attempted (45). Furthermore, Vitarelli ranks among the Top-5 in total bases (252—2nd), walks (54—2nd), doubles (34—3rd) and triples (3—t-5th).

"The record I hold dearest is runs scored," said Vitarelli in reflection of her Salem accomplishment. "Other statistics like total hits or stolen bases are also great accomplishments, but they would have been for nothing if I didn't cross the plate at the end of the inning. Runs scored also proves the power of the lineup that followed me.

"As I've said before, I wasn't a home run hitter," she described of her role in the lineup. "My job was to get on base and the hitters after me were to move me around. With such a high number of runs scored, that just shows my teammates did their job as well. At the end of the game, it's all about who's ahead on the scoreboard, and even if I was the one who scored more of those runs, it was because my teammates were the ones who brought me home. Highest number of runs scored is the record I'm proudest of because it was only earned through a team effort."

'Vit' showed her humbleness when describing her accomplishments on the field. "I'm very honored to have had the opportunities I had while at Salem," She described. "Those four years were some of the best ball I played in my life, and yet it was still filled with errors. I never felt like the 'hunter' because records weren't something really discussed. In fact, I didn't know what records I had or the numbers I was at until I was told I had 'broken' the previous one. If we had been thinking about the records it might have interfered with how we played as a team. The game would have been about that one person hitting a specific number instead of the team working together for a win.

"It is a cool feeling to know I have a spot on some of those lists though. It's a nice reminder that I was there and will be an interesting stat to watch grow as the program continues to grow over the years. That being said, I am confident that if the players on the 2019-20 and 2020-21 team had had their full seasons, those records would have been shattered. Those teams had some amazing players that if given the same chances I had, my name surely would have gone done a few spots. In the end, it's nice to be a 'title holder' for now, but I can't wait to see who takes it from me! Once that has been done, I know the legacy is living on and the program is growing as it should!"

While the Salem softball program is still in its developing stages after just 10 seasons of play, one underlying current is abundantly clear—no one individual player is bigger than the team itself. From sitting together and sharing laughs in the school cafeteria to being seen around campus together constantly, the team concept is apparent in all phases of the program, from its coaches, players and most importantly when on the field. The concept was established by then-head-coach Scott Long and is blatantly clear in current head coach Kierston Garner.

"The coach who inspired me the most while playing at Salem was Coach Long," said Vitarelli. "I actually met Coach Long when I was 16 and was able to play travel ball on his team for a few years before going to Salem. Softball had always been my life but late in my senior year of high school, I chose to stop pursuing the opportunity to play in college and had a plan to attend a different school as just a student. It wasn't until my high school season ended, I realized I wasn't ready to give it up and immediately called Coach Long. I hadn't talked to him in a few months, but he talked to me as if nothing had changed. He walked me through the process of applying to Salem and helped me set up a tour. Just a week later, I committed to Salem College and the softball program and it was the best decision I've ever made.

"During my time at Salem, Coach Long was more than just a coach on the field, he was a coach in all of our lives," Vitarelli described. "He pushed me harder than any other coach, always raising the bar simply because he knew I could handle it. Victories were celebrated, and 'failures' were worked on the next day in practice. If something wasn't working, we would break it down to the simplest form. Sometimes you need to go back to dragging your fingers in the dirt to break the habit of pulling up on a ground ball. He showed us there is always room for improvement in your game, your life, and to not settle for less than you deserve. Coach Long taught me how to be a college softball player, but inspired me to always work to be a better person."

The aforementioned Garner has also been a cornerstone for the Salem program. Before becoming head coach in the 2019 season, Garner was an infielder for the Spirits from 2013 to 2016, finishing with a lifetime batting average of .416. Garner 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.

While 'Vit' may not have been a home run hitter for the Spirits, Garner certainly was, blasting a program-best 30 over the course of her career—a mark that still stands. As a result, she owns the Salem record for most RBI (138), total bases (317), doubles (41) and ranks second in slugging percentage (.717) to her own powerful slugger Brianne Coleman, who has 13 home runs and a .819 slugging percentage after two seasons.

"The teammate who inspired me the most is Kierston Garner," said Vitarelli. "I've known Kierston since I was 16 or 17 and had the opportunity to play travel softball with her a few times before she went to Salem. I remember meeting her, learning she was going to be a college player, and immediately being intimidated. I couldn't hit as hard as her, field as well as she could, and overall be as consistent. Playing with Kierston in college I learned I didn't have to be able to do all that she could, I had to do what my team needed me to do.

"I fell into the lead-off spot in the lineup, so I didn't need to hit hard – I just had to get on base!" described Vitarelli. "Then someone like Kierston would be able to come up and hit me in! For some time that she was a third baseman, I played short. We learned how to play off each other, knowing who would cover a base if needed, or who could get to a ball quickest. If there were times I fell short, she didn't tell me what to do, she taught me. I think it's only fitting that Kierston is now the head coach of the program, she was a coach from the beginning – and for that reason, she is the teammate who's most inspired me."

Over the course of the last 10 years, Salem has earned not only a bid to an NCAA Tournament, which came in 2015, but also the 2018 USA South Eastern Division crown, which came after a 14-4 mark in league play and a 26-17 record overall.

"There were so many great times with my teammates, but the one that bonded our team together forever is still winning the conference tournament my first year," said Vitarelli of that experience. "The energy on that team was one of a group of athletes who wanted to have fun and had nothing to lose. That mindset allowed us to not put too much pressure on ourselves and play the game the way we knew how. After winning and having our season extended to the NCAA Regional tournament, we kept that 'nothing to lose' mentality. Sitting in the theatre together and watching as officials announced the tournament locations was so exciting, there was still no pressure. That year we got the first NCAA regional tournament win for Salem College in any sport – which was just icing on the cake."

Name (including maiden name): Jennifer Vitarelli (nicknamed "Vit" from softball)

Sport(s) played: Softball

Year of Graduation: 2018

Degree(s) Earned: Bachelor of Arts in Economics; Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration w/concentration in Marketing

How has your degree from Salem helped you to achieve success in the business world?
Vitarelli: When starting school, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I had some knowledge of Marketing and figured that sounded like a fun role to be in. I learned at Salem I could get a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and felt that would be a good start! After my first semester, I got an A in ECON 101. My advisor just so happened to be head of the Economics department and explained how I could pick it up as a second major. With Salem being a smaller school, advisors are able to invest more in each of their students. I believe that is why my advisor was able to spend the time with me to realize the opportunity I had to double major and explain to me how to get it done in the same amount of time. Having two degrees has made me more marketable in the working world and I owe that to my advisor – thank you Dr. Megan Regan!
The Business department at Salem helped me prepare for the working world through all of the wonderful professors and projects assigned. In addition to learning business practices and models, we were taught life skills as well. How to approach your first interview, how to dress for success, building and formatting your resume, and overall work culture. There were several trips and panels put together by the department where we were able to visit businesses, or have them come to us, sit down with members of the company, and have lunch with them while getting to ask questions on what they do and how they got there. These real life experiences helped me feel even more prepared to take on working life than just receiving my degree.

What team concept(s) have you applied in your business and personal life that have proven beneficial after competing at Salem?
Vitarelli: The most important team concept I have taken with me from sports into my working life is learning how to recognize people's strengths and help them in areas they struggle in. No one learns if you only harp on a "weakness". Instead, I try to find the area a person is best suited for and allow them to manage that part of the work or project. Just like I mentioned before in softball, I may not have been a home-run hitter, but as a lead-off that wasn't my job. If it had been my job, I would have failed miserably! In my working life, I try to set people up to succeed and give them the time to work on the areas they want to improve. In the end, they'll probably hit a homerun too!

What advice would you give to student-athletes interested in playing at Salem?
Vitarelli: My advice to anyone thinking of becoming a student-athlete at Salem is, DO IT! The school will provide you with friends and mentors for life, but there's no bond like one of teammates. You spend more time together than with anyone else, whether it's at practice, playing games, or hanging out in your free time. Teams always become a family and I couldn't have made it through college without my Salem Softball one.

What advice did you receive while playing at Salem that you apply to the course of your everyday life?
Vitarelli: One year, the coaching staff prepared an activity for every member on the team to prove they had different attributes that make you a great player. Some of the adjectives on the activity were straightforward; trustworthy, hard-working, leader, etc. One word was "coachable". Although it's not an official word of the English language, the internet has deemed its meaning as "being open to asking for and receiving feedback, looking inward at how you can move forward, and being interested in growth." This was an adjective I had to learn how to present to people. Being coachable and wanting to learn and grow is one thing, but we had to show we were coachable – which would mean admitting you know you have places to grow in, not an easy thing to do. Although it may not have come across as straight-forward advice, I took it as a life lesson. Showing others you know you have areas to grow in does not mean you are weak or struggling. It proves you want to be better and are always willing to learn. This "advice" I learned from Salem softball has helped me in my working life to show managers I am always trying to excel in my roles. This kind of mentality helps to build trust and confidence that you are always doing your best and willing to do what it takes to get better.

You have established multiple records for the Salem softball program. How do you feel about being the "hunted" when it comes to people wanting to break your records, instead of the "hunter" and looking to set the records?
Vitarelli: I'm very honored to have had the opportunities I had while at Salem. Those four years were some of the best ball I played in my life, and yet it was still filled with errors. I never felt like the "hunter" because records weren't something really discussed. In fact, I didn't know what records I had or the numbers I was at until I was told I had "broken" the previous one. If we had been thinking about the records it might have interfered with how we played as a team. The game would have been about that one person hitting a specific number instead of the team working together for a win. It is a cool feeling to know I have a spot on some of those lists though. It's a nice reminder that I was there and will be an interesting stat to watch grow as the program continues to grow over the years. That being said, I am confident that if the players on the 2019-20 and 2020-21 team had had their full seasons, those records would have been shattered. Those teams had some amazing players that if given the same chances I was had, my name surely would have gone done a few spots. In the end, it's nice to be a "title holder" for now, but I can't wait to see who takes it from me! Once that has been done, I know the legacy is living on and the program is growing as it should!

What is the record that you hold most dear and why?
Vitarelli: The record I hold most dear is runs scored. Other statistics like total hits or stolen bases are also great accomplishments, but they would have been for nothing if I didn't cross the plate at the end of the inning. Runs scored also proves the power of the lineup that followed me. As I've said before, I wasn't a homerun hitter. My job was to get on base and the hitters after me were to move me around. With such a high number of runs scored, that just shows my teammates did their job as well. At the end of the game, it's all about who's ahead on the scoreboard, and even if I was the one who scored more of those runs, it was because my teammates were the ones who brought me home. Highest number of runs scored is the record I'm most proud of because it was only earned through a team effort.

Your success on the field is well documented. Describe your mentality when you took the field to play a sport that you were obviously so successful at?
Vitarelli: My mentality before each game was usually one of trying to stay relaxed and play the game I knew how. Of course, different moments in a game can change that such as an error on my part, a bad call by an umpire, or even an injury. Thinking back on my years at Salem is bittersweet. I'm very proud of what we accomplished, but I would give anything to have one more at bat or one more line drive hit at me, if only to tell myself to just have fun. My first year, I don't know if I ever put too much pressure on myself, which is probably why it was one of my favorite seasons. Every year after that, the thought of wanting to be better took over a little more with every game. These records I hold are great to look at, but I'm also the second highest player for career errors. That statistic is important because it shows that I had successes, but also many failures. Maybe this shows I was able to make a mistake and still bounce back, but I know mentally that wasn't always the case. Going into my junior and senior year, I felt the pressure of being an upper classman and wanting to set an example for the younger players. I also felt the pressure that my career was coming close to its end and wanting to do everything I could to finish on a high note. My final game in the conference tournament my senior year was not a great one for me. I think I hit every ball directly at the third baseman and grounded out. This is a perfect example of letting the pressure get to me because I couldn't get out of my own head to make the correction. Although my mentality at the beginning of each game usually started calm and collected, there were times that the game would change that. I owe a lot to my teammates and coaches who supported me in bouncing back from those errors or teaching me how to make a correction. Looking back, I can say I never thought of giving up. Even if I had a terrible game, I just wanted to get back out there and do better. My love for the sport is what helped me stay motivated and brought me personal success, but the encouragement of me teammates and coaches is what helped me get past the failures.