Baseball Player Honored by Award

Michael Adams shows off his award for being named the College's athlete of the year.

When Michael Adams was considering Virginia Peninsula Community College, formerly Thomas Nelson, he wasn't aware it had a baseball team. He was interested in becoming a firefighter and knew the College could put him on that path.

A year later, after a successful baseball season for the Gators, he was named the College's athlete of the year and was honored June 27 at the Peninsula Sports Club Headliner's Night.

"It was pretty cool," he said of the honor.

Adams, a freshman outfielder from Tabb High School, appeared in 34 of the team's 47 games as the Gators went 20-27. He hit .221 with three doubles, one HR, 11 runs batted in, and stole 20 bases in 23 attempts. He was a member of the Region 10 all-defensive team and earned all-academic honors.

"He's a great kid," said baseball coach Todd Barker.

Adams had known about the College because his mother went here, and he knew it had a great fire science program. He learned about the baseball team from an assistant coach on his travel baseball team, Nick Mastrogianakis, who also is an assistant coach for the Gators.

The Gators' 20 victories in 2022 were the most the College posted in a season as a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association. Adams was among the reasons for that success.

When interim athletics director Angela Jackson asked Barker for nominations for the College's athlete of the year, Adams was among those who came to mind.

"He's a good, upstanding citizen in the community as well as excelling on the baseball field and was an all-academic award winner," Barker said.

Barker, who just finished his third season with the Gators, said Adams has a team-first attitude, never complains and is a hard worker.

"He always assumed any role that was put on him," he said. "He's a great teammate."

Jackson knows all the athletes at the College, and had seen Adams play. He was on her radar as the College's athlete of the year, too, so when Barker independently nominated him, she knew he was an excellent choice.

"He has a good GPA, a good spirit," she said. "I've never seen him not smiling."

At the banquet, he was the same way as a smile never left his face. The other college athletes honored ranged from Division I athletes to two national championship teams.

"I was in the room with some pretty amazing people," he said. "The Apprentice School won a national championship. CNU softball won a national championship. I didn't realize how honorable it was until I got there."

Adams should be done with his schooling at Virginia Peninsula next spring, at which time he hopes to join the Hampton Fire Department. He volunteers part time for the Carrollton Fire Department.

His college playing days probably will last just one more year, unless he's recruited by a Division I school, which he knows is a long shot. He's eager to start his firefighting career as soon as possible.

"I feel like it would be wasting my parents' money because I already know what I want to do," he said, again showing his team-first attitude. "But it would be really cool to play for a Division I school."