Tusculum's Adkins Voted as SAC Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Tusculum University's Madison Adkins was voted as the 2024 South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the conference announced today.

The South Atlantic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is presented annually to one student-athlete in each of the Conference's championship sports and is voted on by the SAC's Faculty Athletic Representatives Committee. The winners are selected based on their achievements in academics, athletics, service and leadership.

Adkins, a senior from Olive Hill, Ky., owns a 3.99 cumulative GPA while majoring in Biology. She has been a four-time recipient of numerous academic accolades at the university and conference levels. At Tusculum, she has been named to the President's List, Dean's List, Athletic Director's Honor Roll and Charles Oliver Gray Honors List each of her four years. Additionally, she has earned a spot on the Alpha Chi Honor Society as a junior and senior. At the conference level, Adkins has been on the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll each of her four years. She has been a three-time recipient of the DIIADA Academic Achievement Award and twice earned CSC Academic All-District.  

On the court, Adkins has been named All-South Atlantic Conference each of the past two years. She earned a spot on the Third Team in 2023 when she led her team to a SAC Tournament Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. That year, she was also named to the All-Tournament team and helped the Pioneers to a 20-win season. This fall, Adkins was a First Team All-Conference selection as she played in every set for the Pioneers and became the seventh player in program history to eclipse 2,000 career assists.

Off the court, Adkins is committed to service. She has spent each of the past four years volunteering at the Nettie Day of Service as well as a live stream operator for her local church and a volunteer assistant coach at West Carter HS. In the past two years, she has been on the Pioneer Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and spent a couple of years tutoring middle school students in math. She has participated in the Read Across American program with local elementary schools and gave her time to help at the Morning Point Assisted Living Home.  

2024 Volleyball Scholar-Athlete Finalists

Madison Adkins, Tusculum

Blair Cherry, Carson-Newman

Rachel Wildermuth, Lenoir-Rhyne

Maya Van Heyst, Wingate

Laela Jimenez, Mars Hill