Konni Durschlag was a pitching and hitting star for Gaston College last year to earn the school's first-ever All-American honors in any sport.

Posted: Sep 26, 2022

Gaston College All-American Durschlag out this fall but has high hopes for team in 2023 when he returns to action

For the first time in Gaston College athletic history, the school can lay claim to an All-American.

Website thejbb.net this summer named Rhinos freshman pitcher-outfielder Konni Durschlag to its third team All-American National Junior College Athletic Association Division II squad.

A 2020 graduate of Charlotte's Mallard Creek High School, Durschlag was Gaston College's regular leadoff batter as a left fielder in addition to spending time on the pitching staff as the relief ace and starting pitcher.

Durschlag, named an All-Region 10 outfielder, an All-Region 10 West Division outfielder and a member of the All-Region 10 defensive team in May, is back for his sophomore season.

Currently, Durschlag is sitting out of fall drills after having an offseason surgery to correct a shoulder injury that confounded doctors.

"I had labrum surgery," Durschlag said. "So The whole summer I was going to PT (physical therapy) two days a week. It was not a lot of fun. But I was happy to be doing something.
"The doctors were surprised because they told me I was throwing last season with a completely torn labrum. I thought it was just a sore arm and it just kept hurting after I threw so I finally went to a doctor to find out what was going on."

The biggest reason Durschlag wasn't certain he had a serious injury was that he was able to throw 89 to 92 mph while going 1-0 with five saves and a 2.95 ERA in 12 appearances (four starts) last spring as Gaston College went 41-9 overall and 30-6 in Region 10 to win the West Division regular season title; At the plate, Durschlag hit .396 with eight home runs and 45 RBIs.

"Hopefully, I'll be throwing 95 when I get healthy," said Durschlag, who hopes to be cleared to play when the 2023 season starts in late January.

Durschlag says he and his teammates have high goals this season when head coach Shohn Doty and the Rhinos move up from NJCAA Division II to NJCAA Division I in the always-competitive Region 10.

"I never thought when I was coming to Gaston that I'd have a chance to compete for a national championship, especially now as a second-year program," Durschlag said. "But that's our goal. We're not just talking about winning the conference or the district. We're talking about going to the World Series and competing for a national title."