The University of Virginia's College at Wise Athletics

Now in her 10th season at the helm of the UVA Wise softball program, Karen Bitter has tallied 226 victories to date, including back-to-back 30-win campaigns in 2013 and 2014. During the 2014 season, UVA Wise won 37 games for the second-most in a single season in program history and claimed the inaugural Mountain East Conference Tournament title. That followed a 2013 season in which Bitter led the Cavaliers to a 31-21 record.

Last season, Bitter’s team saw its season cut short due to COVID-19. In the shortened year, the Cavaliers posted a 5-1 mark away from home and saw Kaylee Jones earn VaSID Softball Player of the Year after hitting .446 and slugging 1.046 with nine homers, 10 doubles and 23 RBI in 24 games.

In 2019, Bitter guided her team to a 22-27 overall mark and a 16-16 conference record in the team's final season in the Mountain East Conference as the team made it to the conference tournament for the fourth consecutive season. UVA Wise also gained two wins over nationally-ranked programs in Lenoir-Rhyne University and Shepherd University during the regular season. As well, Bitter notched her 200th career win before claiming her 203rd career victory to break the program's all-time win record.

During the 2018 campaign, the UVA Wise softball team posted a 29-23 overall record and was 16-16 in conference play as the team advanced to the second round of the MEC tournament gaining a pair of shutout wins over Notre Dame College and Shepherd University.

The 2017 campaign was a monumental one for the UVA Wise softball team as Co-Head Coach Bitter guided the program to a No. 4 seed and host of the 2017 NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional, marking the first time the program has hosted a NCAA postseason event. UVA Wise later closed out their campaign in the 2017 NCAA Division II Softball Championship Atlantic 1 Regional after earning the first at-large bid into a NCAA postseason event in school history.

In that same season, Bitter oversaw a spectacular junior year in standout pitcher Taylor Brandts. A four-year letter winner, Brandts is one of the most decorated players in UVA Wise softball history, becoming the winningest pitcher in program history after she notched her 61st career victory with the Cavaliers win over Chowan University in the Atlantic Regional. Brandts became just the second Cavalier to earn All-American status after receiving All-American honorable mention accolades from both the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association (D2CCA) and Fastpitch News.

During the 2016 season, Co-Head Coach Bitter guided the Cavs back to the MEC tournament for the first time since 2014 as the team earned a No. 4 MEC South seed. The Cavs went on a tournament run and advanced to the consolation bracket finals, finishing third in the league championship while eliminating both Wheeling Jesuit University and Concord University.
 
Co-Head Coach Bitter came to UVA Wise following a successful stint at fellow NCAA Division II institution Chowan University where she served as pitching coach for three seasons. A Virginia native, Bitter was a member of one of the most successful coaching staffs at the Division II level. The Chowan softball team piled up 30-win seasons in her final two years as the pitching coach and captured consecutive CIAA divisional championships.
 
Bitter is no stranger to success, whether it is in the dugout or in the circle. The former pitcher began her career at Tabb High School in Yorktown, Virginia, where she caught the eye of coaches at Shepherd University. After enrolling, Bitter became the most accomplished pitcher in the history of the program and is still the holder of several single-season and career school records. After completing her playing career, she joined the coaching staff at Washington College in Maryland, serving as a graduate assistant. After her stop at Washington College, Bitter joined the Chowan staff before the 2009 season as pitching coach where she remained until accepting the UVA Wise job.
 
The coach and her husband, Nick (fellow co-head coach), reside in Big Stone Gap along with their two children.