This spring sports season has been full of many record-setters. Aurielle Brunner ‘25 is now a three-time All-American, several members of the track-and-field team have broken countless school records and Victoria Murren ‘26 has the most appearances on the softball mound in the NCAA.
As of April 9, Murren was tied for the lead in the country with 22 pitching appearances on the year.
“It would have been nice if it was for a good stat,” Murren said. “I’ll take appearances. It was so cool.”
While the appearances stat doesn’t carry the same weight as wins or strikeouts, the stat does show the faith the coaching staff has in the young pitcher.
“Just knowing that my coaching staff really trusts me like that also helps me succeed in our games,” Murren said.
Early this season, Murren surpassed 200 career strikeouts, making her the first in program history to earn the achievement. In addition to pitching record-breaking numbers, Murren has also spent a lot of time on the mound as she has pitched nearly 100 innings so far this season.
“Walking in last year I had no idea what I was going to walk into,” she said, or “if I was going to play at all.”
And play she has. Murren has the most strikeouts and innings pitched in the entire Presidents’ Athletic Conference. Currently in her second year at Chatham, she has managed to hit these marks in under two seasons, an impressive feat that displays present success and foreshadows a bright future within her athletic career. Another essential system of support regarding Murren’s remarkable results comes in the form of her teammates, from whom she has received support since her early-but-prominent debut last season.
“I knew that my team trusted me, and so I just had to trust myself and do the best that I could,” she said.
The team hopes to end the year off on a strong note, with games scheduled until April 27. The team will close out its season with a doubleheader at home against Thiel. Home games are played at Chatham’s West Field, and fans can watch the team face off in several games before its conclusion of the regular season.
“We definitely all bring the energy,” Murren said. “We all try to have a good time no matter what’s going on.”
