Behind Salve baseball's remarkable 40-8 season

Another season of Salve Regina University baseball is in the books – and once again, the Seahawks gave us plenty to celebrate.

The team captured its third consecutive NEWMAC regular-season championship and secured the conference's top postseason seed for the third straight year. Salve dominated NCAA Division III regional competition in a three-game sweep to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals for the third consecutive season before ultimately falling to Endicott College in a best-of-three series.

Along the way, the Seahawks earned four major NEWMAC postseason honors. Shane Williams '26 was named Player of the Year, Nolan Romanowski '28 earned Pitcher of the Year, Grady Schopps '28 was Defensive Player of the Year and Salve's coaching staff was recognized as Coaching Staff of the Year.

The season also marked another milestone for head coach Eric Cirella, who recorded his 350th career victory. When asked what comes to mind when reflecting on that achievement, though, Cirella doesn't start by talking about wins.

"Truth be told, there are so many people that have helped us," he said. "That's truly what it takes – everybody pulling in the right direction when nobody cares who gets the credit."

For Cirella, the story of Salve baseball has always been about far more than the players alone.

Like many DIII programs, Salve baseball relies on a network of student managers, volunteer coaches, photographers, social media staff, alumni and family members whose work often goes unnoticed.

"I know it's kind of an overused saying, but it really takes a village," Cirella said. "In Division III athletics, you can never have enough help."

Those contributions show up everywhere, from game-day operations to player development. During a recent practice, first-year student manager Mike Murphy ’29 spent two hours feeding baseballs into pitching machines so hitters could maximize their repetitions.

"It's almost like a production," Cirella said. "Everybody takes their role and has something they're responsible for. Every person is vital to our success."

More than a buzzword

When Cirella first arrived at Salve more than a decade ago, he admits he viewed concepts like culture and leadership differently.

"If you asked me when I started coaching, I would've said leadership and culture were just buzzwords people used when they couldn't figure out how to win," he said with a laugh.

Experience changed that perspective.

"The longer I do this, the more I realize that when your best players are your hardest-working players and they're your leaders, everything else becomes easier."

Today, developing leaders is one of the most important aspects of the program. Because players spend far more time together than they do with coaches, Cirella believes strong leadership within the team is essential. "The players are together 24/7," he said. "You need those guys who are going to be the voice and reason of the coaches when the coaches aren't around."

That culture, he believes, has been a defining factor in the program's sustained success.

"I see talented teams all the time that crumble because they have no culture and no leadership," he said. "That's the opposite of what we've done. These guys really become like a family, and they respect each other on top of that."

The result was one of the most successful seasons in program history. "To be 34-4 in the regular season, I might do this for another 25 years and that never happens again," he said. "It's remarkable."

If someone spent a day around the team, Cirella hopes they would notice something beyond wins or statistics.

"They're better people than they are baseball players," he said. "And they're really good baseball players."

He describes a group that looks out for one another, engages with young fans and values relationships as much as results.

"You can win games with good players," Cirella said. "But you win championships and compete for national championships with good players who are also good people."

Building careers beyond the diamond

Many students who support and play for the baseball program also use the experience as a springboard into careers in sports.

Former social media manager Natalie Reid '20 now works for Major League Baseball doing content creation. Samantha Mansolf '25, who worked as the student manager during her time at Salve, now works for the Worcester Red Sox organization. Others have gone on to positions in scouting, analytics and player development.

"It's not just that these people are helping us and then going into the workforce," Cirella said. "They're using Salve baseball as a platform to start their own careers."

That professional development remains a point of pride for the program. Students interested in sports communications, analytics, operations and management often find opportunities to gain hands-on experience while contributing to the team's success.

The Salve difference

When asked what makes Salve athletics unique, Cirella quickly points beyond the fences of Reynolds Field. For him, it starts with Newport.

The history, beauty and character of Aquidneck Island create an experience unlike many DIII campuses. But beyond the setting, he believes the people define Salve athletics.

That includes student-athletes who develop resilience through challenges, whether that's overcoming injuries, balancing academics and athletics, or competing against larger programs.

"Salve athletes have taught me that they are extremely resilient," Cirella said. "There's a blue-collar toughness about them."

It's a quality he sees reflected throughout the baseball program and across the athletic department.

"They're going to keep getting up," he said. "Life isn't always fair. You're going to get tested. You're going to get pushed around. But the athletes here are some of the most determined people I've ever been around. They’ve got so much heart."

For a coach whose name is often associated with wins and championships, that's the legacy that matters most. Not the 350 victories, but the people behind them.