(December 5, 2014) – Tuscarora High School junior Jena Calvitti has made an early verbal commitment to continue her softball career under veteran head coach Dee Conway at the University of Mary Washington beginning in the 2016-2017 academic year.
“I chose Mary Washington for every aspect; the academics, the softball program and its location. The campus is beautiful and so are the facilities,” said the 5-foot-5 Calvitti. “Playing collegiate softball has always been a passion of mine, and coach Conway has allowed me to reach that goal. Coach Conway is a great person, and with her 20-plus years coaching for the Eagles, she has so much to offer. She is a coach that I am very excited to have the opportunity to play for.”
In 2014, Conway – who is the only softball coach in UMW history after starting the program in 1988 – led her Division III Eagles – including Stone Bridge High School graduate Olivia Tatara – to a 13-14 finish including a 6-6 mark in the Capital Athletic Conference.
“I will bring drive, a strong work ethic and the determination to win to the Eagles pitching staff,” Calvitti said. “I am a competitive pitcher, and with my strong determination to win, I feel that this will add to the softball team.”
Calvitti has showed her determination while pitching for the Tuscarora Huskies who went 15-9 last spring before falling to Patrick Henry in a VHSL 5A North region quarterfinal on June 2. The 2014 Huskies team was led by head coach Megan Smith and included Radford University infielder Alex Lang and James Madison University commit Michala Pellegrino.
“For the upcoming high school season, I expect us to be very competitive. We will be a young team with only two seniors, but this will not stop us from competing at a high level,” said Calvitti who plays club softball for Fielder’s Choice Elite 18U with Louisville-commit Adriana Erickson, UVA-Wise-commit Delany Turner and Pellegrino. “We will have the ability to win every game. Playing for coach Smith for the past two years, I know as a program one thing that we do not lack is the will to win. We will be a very driven, hardworking team, and it will transfer over onto the field.”
From her birthplace in New Jersey to Leesburg and eventually to Fredericksburg, Calvitti got her softball journey started when she was about six years old.
“I just couldn’t get enough of the sport. I started pitching when I was nine, and that was my niche. I loved being able to control the pace of the game, and I still do,” Calvitti said. “Being a competitive person, pitching fulfills that need to always be the best. The adrenaline rush of being on the mound and needing the last out, especially in very big games is one of the main reasons why I play softball.”
Owen Gotimer is a graduate of Heritage High School in Leesburg and is currently in his senior year at Syracuse University. Follow LoCoSports on Twitter (@LoCoSports) for up-to-date news and scores from around Loudoun County.
