The Monogram Club will host its fall Monogram Jacket Ceremony Wednesday inside Club Naimoli at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center. Monogram Club President Terri Vitale (’94, ’95, tennis) will be the featured alumni speaker, while Abby Sweet, a sophomore on the Fighting Irish softball team, will give the student-athlete reflection.
The ceremony will honor first-time Monogram winners from Notre Dame’s winter and spring sports, including student managers from those teams and the football program.
Terri Vitale
Vitale earned three monograms with the Fighting Irish women’s tennis program before graduating in May 1994 with a degree in marketing. The following year, she graduated summa cum laude with an MBA from the Mendoza College of Business. Vitale has gone on to a successful career in advertising and media planning and currently is vice president for Tandem Enterprises.
Outside of work, Vitale is involved with many charities. Her work with the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research is what she and her family are most passionate about as her father Dick Vitale of ESPN serves on its Board of Directors. Additionally, she is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, and is on the Board of Trustees for All Faith’s Food Bank.
Vitale joined the Monogram Club Board of Directors in 2009. In October 2017, she began a two-year term as Club president. Vitale is married to former Notre Dame lacrosse player Christopher Sforzo M.D. (’94) and they have two children, Sydney and Ryan.
Abby Sweet
Sweet is coming off an outstanding freshman campaign with the Notre Dame softball team. The Newhall, California native was named to the All-ACC Third Team, ACC All-Freshman Team and the NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region Third Team. The infielder/outfielder led the Fighting Irish with 38 runs scored, 13 doubles, 83 total bases, a .420 on-base percentage and 15 stolen bases. Sweet ranked second on the Irish roster with a .333 batting average, .485 slugging percentage and 57 hits.
Sweet, who is enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business, also excels in the classroom. She earned a spot on the ACC Academic Honor Roll and the ACC All-Academic Team.
Rev. Mark Thesing, C.S.C. (’81, ’85, ’92, honorary), chaplain of the Monogram Club and football team, will provide the ceremony’s invocation. Deputy athletics director Jim Fraleigh (’88, manager) will take to the podium and address the attendees, which will include families, coaches, administrators and teammates of the honorees, on behalf of the Notre Dame athletics department. Fraleigh joined the athletics department in 1991 and currently is in charge of corporate relations in addition to being the sport administrator for the Fighting Irish men’s basketball team. Fraleigh served as executive director of the Monogram Club from 2004-09.
ABOUT THE MONOGRAM JACKET CEREMONY
The Monogram Jacket Ceremony was established in 2008 as a way to honor first-time Monogram winners. Monograms are presented to student-athletes from all 26 varsity sports at Notre Dame plus managers, athletic trainers, cheerleaders, video technicians and honorary recipients. The fall ceremony recognizes student-athletes and support staff from the winter and spring sports, while the spring event honors the fall sports.
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