Courtesy of Delaware State Athletic Media Relations


Adrian Hill was a catcher for the Hornet baseball team from 2016-19. The Dover, Del., native graduated from DSU in 2019.
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How has the covid-19 shutdown affected you personally?
It's made it really hard for me to get the things that I need, considering I've just graduated from Officer Candidate School and moved to a new area. It didn't allow my family members to come see me commission which was a big accomplishment for me. They were able to see it on livestream but it's just not the same.
 
What made you decide to join the coast guard?
The CSPI-SLRP program. It's fairly new but a great program. The program pays back my student loans up to $60,000. While I also get to serve in the Coast Guard as an officer. Once I found out about the program I applied and was accepted. I went to boot camp in June shortly after I graduated college. I graduated Boot Camp July 26th and reported to Recruiting Office Boston on August 1st. There I got most of my experience. While I was attached to the recruiting office, I spent most of my time at Sector Boston. Shadowing Many Prevention and Response Officers, I went on 10 plus pollution responses, shoreline assessments, Went Underway on 2 Coast Guard Cutters where I received my Helm and Lookout Qualification, I also piloted an HC-144 during a familiarization tour. I did many things in the short time I was up in Boston.
 
What were some challenges that you went through in officer candidate school and boot camp?
I went through different challenges in both. During Boot Camp I missed my family more so than anything. I had little to no contact with them at all for 8 weeks. Officer Candidate School was completely different I was able to email my family the majority of the time while I was there and got my phone back towards the end of the program. A big challenge during OCS is time management. The whole day is pretty much planned out so it's hard to find time to do your assignments, get your uniform ready, make sure you have an inspection ready room, and to also make sure you're retaining the information that's being taught to you in class. It taught me to take advantage of every second I had. There was always something productive I could be doing
 
Post graduation depression isn't an official diagnosis, but many recent graduates believe it to be real problem.|You moved quickly into your career after graduating, but was there a time when you felt 'down' after graduating?
Not even for a second. Graduating college was a major accomplishment for me. I had some of the best times of my life in college most of which came through baseball with my teammates. I didn't have much time between graduating college and getting into my career. I was and still am very excited to get into my career. I'm glad everything has worked out for me so far.
 
There were some criticisms about the NCAA, giving all spring sports seniors an extra year of eligibility after the shutdown canceled their season. Do you believe that the NCAA made the right choice?
I certainly do. I couldn't imagine if my senior year got cut short the way that these seniors did. I was underway on CGC EAGLE as all of this was happening, so I didn't have cell phone service for a while but as soon as I found out. I started calling some of my teammates and guys who are still on that team, just to see how they were and how everything was going. I just graduated last year. That could've very much been me. I know how hard everyone on that team worked so to me it just wouldn't feel right moving on in life, with how abrupt everything ended. I believe the NCAA made the right choice.
 
What would you say to your former teammates that are contemplating if they should return for an extra season or not?
Ultimately, they have to do what's best for them and in some cases that might be moving on in life. I would advise them to play because once it's over it's over. I would do anything right now to be on a baseball field. You only get so long to be a collegiate athlete.
 
What are some memories of being a collegiate athlete that you still cherish today?
The bus rides, practice, staying in hotels, I think about it all the time. I think about my senior year as a whole, a lot. With all the injuries we were faced with, we still managed to make a run in the conference tournament. I will never forget about that last tournament in Daytona Beach. It was one to remember.

In your last two seasons you became a reliable hitter in the lineup, what was the moment when the 'light bulb' turned on and you realized how to be successful at the collegiate level?
It took a lot of self-assessing. Those first two years I was trying to figure out who I was as a hitter. I really had to figure out what my weaknesses were and how I could improve them. That was the big difference for me in those last 2 years. I addressed those weaknesses I had and it all came together.
 
Go into a little bit of what your weaknesses were and how you fixed them, what was the scouting report on you?
Going opposite field. I came into college really only being able to pull the ball and hit it up the middle. I incorporated a leg kick into my swing it helped me get my timing down but most importantly stay back on the ball. I was able to see the ball deeper and shoot it the other way. I also changed my mentality, I just focused on hitting balls up the middle and hitting opposite field just became natural at that point. The scouting report on me were fast balls away and breaking balls.
 
On March 31st, 2019 you hit your first and only home run of your collegiate career vs. Maryland Eastern Shore, what was your reaction to that moment?
I really didn't know how to feel. I had jokingly told one of my teammates a week before I hit the homerun that I've probably hit the fence more than anyone in DSU history without hitting a homerun. I knew I was more than capable of doing it. It just wasn't really my game.
 
Your teammate Garrett Lawson was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 19th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft, when he first joined the Hornets did you see that type of potential in him?
Yes of course. But that's only because I've known him since I was 11. I had been playing with him for a long time. He always had the talent. This past year he just really put it all together. He matured a lot coming into that year and I think that really paid off for him.
 
Theoretically speaking, it is the bottom of the ninth, bases loaded with two outs. Lawson is at the mound and you're up to bat, who wins that matchup?
Aww man that's a tough one. I would definitely put it in play. I didn't face Lawson much last year because I was mostly catching for him, but I can remember facing him once in the fall when I lined out to deep LF. I think it's only fair thing to say since its already happened.