North Carolina Central University Athletics

Career: Became first MLB draft pick from NCCU when he was selected in the 28th round by the Milwaukee Brewers.  Career leader in appearances with 83 and set a new career mark with 15 saves.  Kept a career-best ERA of 3.89, second in career strikeouts with 181, and third in career innings pitched with 169.0. 
 
2016: First Team All-MEAC selection and was named team MVP.  Set single season record for strikeouts with 85 and led the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in that statistic.  Finished regular season 12th in NCAA Division I in strikeouts per nine innings with an average of 11.93.  Finished senior season with four saves, tied for third-most in MEAC.  Threw a career-high 11 strikeouts against Savannah State (March 26) and became tied for third-most in a game at NCCU.  Named MEAC Pitcher of the Week after an eight strikeout performance against Bethune-Cookman (March 20).

2015:  Led staff with 25 appearances from the bullpen, and tied for second in the league in total appearances.  Pitched 44.1 innings and collected four saves with an ERA of 3.45 and opposing batting average of .253.  Struck out 42 batters, 20 on a called third strike which was third-most in the conference.  Finished with a career-high three wins.

2014:  Named to 2014 All-MEAC Academic Team.  Nominated for All-MEAC after finishing his sophomore season as one of the top closers in the league.  Finished with seven saves on the year in 24 appearances, placing him among the top five in the conference in that category.  In MEAC play, threw 21.0 innings with a 2.14 ERA in 10 appearances.  Struck out 17 batters while allowing 14 hits with four saves.  Threw 42.1 innings on the year with 39 strikeouts with 20 walks issued.  Struck out at least one batter in all but three of his outings.  Tied a season high with four K’s on four occasions.  The last four strikeout performance came in the comeback victory over Florida A&M when he threw 3.0 innings to earn the victory.  Earned his first win of the year when he threw 3.1 innings surrendering one run on one hit against Savannah State on March 16 in the series-clinching victory over the Tigers.

2013:  Threw 20.1 innings in his rookie season at NCCU in 15 appearances going 1-2 on the year.  Allowed only eight earned runs on 17 hits and amassed 15 strikeouts and 14 walks.  Opposing hitters were .239 against him.  Earned his first collegiate win at NCCU in a 2.2 inning effort against St. Augustine’s giving up no earned runs on two hits, tying a season-high with two strikeouts.  Struck out two batters in six of his 15 outings.
 
High School (Knightdale H.S.): Named to the Greater Neuse River All-Conference team and was MVP for his varsity team three years in a row.  He was also an honor roll student as a freshman and sophomore and garnered All-Academic honors in his junior and senior year.
 
Personal: Born January 17, 1994, in Raleigh, NC. Parents are Austin and Emily Vernon. Major at NCCU is Business Marketing.