NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.
A 2016 Windsor High School graduate and the College of New Rochelle’s softball team have made a satisfying discovery this softball season: They’re very good for one another.

Victoria Holmes has been proving herself in the field, whether she’s at center or the right field or even at bat.

According to information from CNR’s sports information director Nate Kalin, the freshman center-field “…has had a very big impact for the College of New Rochelle softball team during their 2017 campaign. Her bat has led CNR to its first-ever double digit wins and first-ever winning season.”

He added, “She leads all players with a .571 batting average and is first in on base percentage at .662. She claims the 3rd spot in RBI per game at just over 1.5.”

The former player for the Lady Dukes confirmed that she and her teammates have been doing well, and that’s she’s pleased with her performance — so far.

“I feel I’ve worked all of my life to get where I am right now,” said Holmes, who used to play for the Holland Athletic Association as well as the Galaxy Fast Pitch (Smithfield group). She added that after travel softball games there were many extra hours of practice with her father, Andrew, who played baseball in high school.

Not incidentally, her mother, Donna, was into softball and cheerleading. Today, her sister, Olivia, is on the softball and volleyball teams at WHS, and also plays for Galaxy Fast Pitch; her brother, Brett, does fast pitch for the HAA.

When deciding where to go after graduation, Holmes was persuaded by a factor so important in many people’s lives: Location. Location. Location.

“When I got an email from the coach about recruiting, one of the first lines was that CNR is 15 minutes away from city,” she said. “I’ve always loved New York City and maybe I hope to live there. That was definitely a draw, and the campus is also beautiful. I couldn’t resist.”

While the venue has been so attractive, Holmes has not let that been a distraction. She gives her all to academic studies — majoring in psychology — as well as softball.

That concentration certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed by her coach, John Pryor, who spoke enthusiastically about the freshman.

“She’s a great kid … a coach’s dream. She comes in and works hard, and is a quiet leader.

She’s coachable and very competitive,” said Pryor, also noting that Holmes has been a starting center fielder for more than half the season.

“She’s carried the team as as freshman,” he added.

At the time of the interview, the Blue Angels were scheduled to play against Yeshiva University, which Holmes said she was pretty sure would be the last game for the regular season. Pryor had applied for and gotten his team to participate in the recent Eastern College Athletic Association.

The young women began the first round of championship play on Wednesday.

Kalin wrote on the CNR website www.cnrathletics.com, “For the Blue Angels, this selection culminates a memorable season in which the team shattered the program winning record and winning percent.  The team finished the season at 16-11, quadrupling last year’s win total. It was the program’s first-ever winning season.

“This will be the first meeting between [No. 2 seed] Stockton and CNR in softball, in fact it will be the first time the Blue Angels have faced off with any member of the highly touted NJAC conference.

“CNR is led by freshmen outfielder Victoria Holmes (Franklin, Va.) who after a stellar outing against York Sunday, is back in 1st place in the nation with a 0.605 batting average. She is also tops in on-base percentage. On the mound, CNR will rely on its duo of freshmen Emily Perez (Queens, N.Y.) who is 6-4 overall, and sophomore Victoria Rivera (Bronx, N.Y.) who set a program best mark of 10-5.”

Alas, that evening CNR was defeated by Stockton 6-1 in the quarterfinals. Kalin noted that even though the team scored only one run, the Blue Angels stay at top of the D3 standings in runs per game.

“Holmes had two hits, including the only extra base hit of the game, a double in the fourth,” he wrote. “With her 2-for-3 performance, she will remain 1st in the nation in batting average and on-base percentage.”

When her first year is done, Holmes will return home to her parents in Franklin and seek out a summer job. Oh, and she’ll practice with her sister’s team to keep up her skills. There are still three years to go and plenty of opportunities to help take her fellow Blue Angels even higher.