SALEM, Va. – After a phenomenal graduate campaign,
Jordan Oates of the Salisbury University men's basketball team was announced as one of the 10 men's finalists for the 2025 Jostens Trophy, as announced by the Rotary Club of Salem, Va. on Friday afternoon.
The Jostens Trophy is a national honor created by the Rotary Club of Salem and sponsored by Jostens, Inc. to recognize the most outstanding men's and women's Division III basketball players of the year. The awards focus on three major criteria: basketball ability, academic prowess and service to one's surrounding communities.
The Jostens Trophy models the Rotary International motto of "Service Above Self" by recognizing those who truly fit the ideal of a well-rounded Division III student-athlete. The 2025 season marks the 27th time the Jostens Trophy honors will be awarded.
Oates, a graduate forward from Hanover, Md., has cemented his status as one of Division III's greats, averaging 17.6 points and 12.6 rebounds per contest (both career highs). Through March 13th, his 20 double-doubles rank third in Division III while he also sits third in defensive boards per game (9.3), fourth in total rebounds (353), and seventh in rebounding average.
He also made tremendous strides defensively in his final season with the maroon and gold, leading the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) in rejections and ranking 33rd nationally in blocks (49) and 47th in blocks per game (1.75). He was crowned the 2025 C2C Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts.
Oates is equally strong, if not stronger, in the classroom. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor's in Biomedical Sciences on the Pre-Dentistry track and a minor in Chemistry. He currently boasts a 3.83 GPA in the Perdue School of Business's Master of Business Administration program.
Oates earned consecutive C2C Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors following the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, earning SU's Male Student-Athlete of the Year award in 2024. He has also garnered consecutive CSC Academic All-District selections in each of the last three seasons.
The fifth-year phenom brings value to SU's campus off the floor as well, volunteering with Hope and Life Outreach (HALO) shelter in Salisbury along with other team-based community activities. He serves as Treasurer for the Caribbean Student Association and an Orientation Leader at SU while holding membership in the Chi Alpha Sigma and Phi Eta honor societies.
Oates was critical for Salisbury in its Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) semifinal matchup, earning his 20th double-double with 24 points and 13 rebounds against New Jersey City University last Sunday.
The Rotary Club of Salem is responsible for the initial review of the nominees, which it conducts over a two-week period. The Club's Jostens Trophy Committee objectively reviews the nominees and uses a numerical system to pare down the pools to the list of 20 finalists – 10 for the men's award and 10 for the women's trophy.
The finalists will now be reviewed by the Jostens Trophy National Selection Committee, comprised of current and former athletic administrators and head coaches, past Jostens Trophy recipients, and select members of the Division III media. The committee will spend the next week-plus reviewing the nominees with the aim of announcing the two winners the week following both national championship events.
The Sea Gulls play their final game of the 2024-25 season on Saturday evening, traveling to Virginia Beach, Va. for a third round against the Marlins of Virginia Wesleyan in the 2025 ECAC Championship. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. at TowneBank Arena.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with affiliate membership in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (football, men's & women's swimming) and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference (men's lacrosse). With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the nation's most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have won a combined 23 team national championships, 24 individual national championships, and 202 conference championships, and have produced 50 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
