Release courtesy of Salisbury University Athletic Communications

After taking his game to new heights following a return from a back injury, pitcher Jimmy Adkins of the Salisbury University baseball team has been awarded the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) Medal of Inspiration for the 2021-22 academic year.

Adkins, a senior business management major from Delmar, Del., suffered a broken L-5 vertebra midway through the 2021 season. After extensive rehab, he returned to the Sea Gulls' opening day lineup in 2022 as a two-way player. As the season progressed and lingering back issues hampered his production at the plate and in the field, he decided to transition into a full-time pitcher and emerged as one of most feared arms in Division III.

In 17 appearances (10 starts) during the 2022 season, Adkins went 7-2 with a 1.87 ERA, three complete games, three saves, 13 walks and 87 strikeouts over 91.1 innings. A consensus All-American, Adkins was named C2C Pitcher of the Year, consensus Region Pitcher of the Year and D3baseball.com National Pitcher of the Year after leading the Sea Gulls to a 39-12 record and their second straight berth in the NCAA Baseball Championship Series.

 "Jimmy exemplifies all of the core values and traits of our program," said Sea Gull head baseball coach Troy Brohawn. "He is an outstanding student-athlete and gets it done on the field and in the classroom. Jimmy is a great teammate that lifts up everyone around him and adds to the culture of our program."

Awarded only on special occasion, the C2C Medal of Inspiration is awarded to athletes from the C2C who have persevered through extraordinary circumstances and whose determination, devotion and passion are exemplary, revered among their peers and worth of special recognition.