Bridgewater College

VIDEO: JIM UTTERBACK HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY

An outstanding performer in both basketball and baseball from 1949-53, James "Jim" Utterback ranks as one of the best athletes of his era at Bridgewater College and a worthy candidate for the Athletic Hall of Fame.

Utterback was a four-year starter on the basketball team and helped the Eagles to 24 wins over his career. He was the team captain for the 1951-52 team which won 10 games that season, and led the '52-'53 edition in scoring with a 15.8 points per game average while serving as the Eagles captain that year as well. Utterback also excelled in baseball as the team's starting catcher for four seasons. A team captain in 1952 and '53, Utterback garnered All-State Little Six honors both of those years after batting .365 in 1952 and .357 the following year. The Eagles amassed a 37-25 record during Utterback's four seasons, including top records of 11-5 in both 1950 and '52. Immediately after his graduation from Bridgewater, Utterback played for a time in the Valley Baseball League for both Linville and Harrisonburg.

Utterback graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Social Studies and Economics in 1953 and subsequently went into private business. He returned to the college in 1958 as both an assistant football and basketball coach before moving to Fairfax County to teach and coach at J.E.B. Stuart High School, where he guided the school's baseball team to the Northern Virginia League Championship in 1961. Jim later became a Personnel Analyst and Personnel Director for Secondary Education from 1964-80 in Fairfax County, then worked as a Management Analyst until 1983 when he became Director of the Office of Plant Operations until his retirement in 1987. Jim has always been an active member of his Church and has participated on many church committees.

Jim Utterback's distinguished career as a Bridgewater athlete coupled with his lifelong work in Education makes him an exemplary member of the Bridgewater College Athletic Hall of Fame.