WHEREAS, the Christopher Newport University softball team won the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III National Championship in Salem on May 31, 2022; and

WHEREAS, the Christopher Newport University Captains brought home the program's first national title in style, going undefeated in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Tournament and the Women's College World Series (WCWS), including a sweep of Trine University in the best of three championship series; and

WHEREAS, five members of the Christopher Newport Captains were named to the All NCAA Championship Team, including freshman pitcher Kate Alger; sophomore outfielder Katie Currin; senior first basewoman Kaitlyn Hasty, who was named as the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III National Player of the Year; freshman pitcher Jamie Martin, who was named as the championship's Most Outstanding Pitcher; and senior catcher Bailey Roberts, who was named as the championship's Most Outstanding Player; and

WHEREAS, the Christopher Newport Captains closed out the season with a program record 24 consecutive wins, finishing with an impressive 47–1 overall record; the team was ranked as the number one Division III softball team in the country going into the WCWS; and

WHEREAS, the Christopher Newport Captains were led by a group of seven seniors with a combined total of more than 1,000 appearances over their college careers; and

WHEREAS, head coach Keith Parr has created a dominant softball program at Christopher Newport University since taking the reins in 2003, leading the team to 15 straight NCAA Tournament appearances and picking up his 600th win on the road to the program's first national championship; and

WHEREAS, as of mid-June 2022, the members of the Christopher Newport University softball team have more than 30 individual end-of-season awards combined; and

WHEREAS, with a historic combination of talent, skill, and determination, the Christopher Newport Captains persevered and finished ahead of the 62-team field; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Christopher Newport University softball team hereby be commended for winning the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III National Championship; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Keith Parr, head coach of the Christopher Newport University softball team, as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the team's historic victory.