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Virginia State University Athletics

THE OFFICIAL ATHLETICS SITE OF VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY

2026 Baseball Roster

Go To Coaching Staff

Players

  • OF 6'3"
    1

    Jaron Ward

    Sr. Dinwiddie, Va. Fayetteville Tech
    Full Bio
    Senior Dinwiddie, Va. Fayetteville Tech
    Full Bio
  • OF 6'0"
    2

    Caleb Nicholas

    Jr. Buffalo, N.Y. Hobart College
    Full Bio
    Junior Buffalo, N.Y. Hobart College
    Full Bio
  • RHP 5'9"
    4

    DeCarlos Nora III

    Jr. Beloit, Wis. Beloit Memorial
    Full Bio
    Junior Beloit, Wis. Beloit Memorial
    Full Bio
  • OF 6'0"
    5

    Nyle Shewmake

    Fr. Portsmouth, Va. Churchland
    Full Bio
    Freshman Portsmouth, Va. Churchland
    Full Bio
  • IF 5'8"
    6

    Norman Jackson

    Sr. Chesapeake, Va. Great Bridge
    Full Bio
    Senior Chesapeake, Va. Great Bridge
    Full Bio
  • OF 5'8"
    7

    Gene Ligon Jr.

    Sr. Hackensack ,N.J. Hackensack
    Full Bio
    Senior Hackensack ,N.J. Hackensack
    Full Bio
  • IF 6'0"
    8

    Samuel Young

    Jr. Blackstone, Va. Richard Bland CC
    Full Bio
    Junior Blackstone, Va. Richard Bland CC
    Full Bio
  • C/RHP 5'11"
    9

    Matthew May

    Sr. Largo, Md. Charles Flowers
    Full Bio
    Senior Largo, Md. Charles Flowers
    Full Bio
  • RHP/3B 5'10"
    10

    Antonio Boone

    So. Portsmouth, Va. Voorhees
    Full Bio
    Sophomore Portsmouth, Va. Voorhees
    Full Bio
  • UT 5'10"
    11

    Trey Mitchell

    Jr. Brunswick, Va. Eastern Mennonite
    Full Bio
    Junior Brunswick, Va. Eastern Mennonite
    Full Bio
  • C 5'11"
    12

    Julius Turner

    So. Petersburg, Va. Petersburg
    Full Bio
    Sophomore Petersburg, Va. Petersburg
    Full Bio
  • IF 6'1"
    13

    Hector Rivera

    So. Norfolk, Va. Granby
    Full Bio
    Sophomore Norfolk, Va. Granby
    Full Bio
  • RHP 5'10"
    14

    Charles Jones

    Jr. Glen Allen, Va. Glen Allen
    Full Bio
    Junior Glen Allen, Va. Glen Allen
    Full Bio
  • IF 5'11"
    16

    Johnathan Smith

    So. Richmond, Va. Highland Springs
    Full Bio
    Sophomore Richmond, Va. Highland Springs
    Full Bio
  • OF 5'10"
    17

    Xavier Nixon

    Fr. Hampton, Va. Hampton High School
    Full Bio
    Freshman Hampton, Va. Hampton High School
    Full Bio
  • OF 5'11"
    18

    Christian Balkcom

    Fr. Weatly Heights, N.Y. Holy Trinity
    Full Bio
    Freshman Weatly Heights, N.Y. Holy Trinity
    Full Bio
  • RHP 6'0"
    19

    Jy'Quez Williams

    So. Virginia Beach, Va. Landstown
    Full Bio
    Sophomore Virginia Beach, Va. Landstown
    Full Bio
  • C 6'2"
    20

    Josh Mahan

    Jr. Richmond, Va. Highland Springs
    Full Bio
    Junior Richmond, Va. Highland Springs
    Full Bio
  • 1B 5'10"
    21

    Alex Dayle

    Sr. Manhattan, N.Y. La Salle Academy
    Full Bio
    Senior Manhattan, N.Y. La Salle Academy
    Full Bio
  • IF 5'8"
    22

    Dominant Turner

    Jr. Richmond, Va. St. Mary College
    Full Bio
    Junior Richmond, Va. St. Mary College
    Full Bio
  • RHP 6'3"
    23

    Gavin Stevens

    Jr. Richmond, Va Varina
    Full Bio
    Junior Richmond, Va Varina
    Full Bio
  • IF/RHP 6'4"
    25

    Jaquan Tucker

    Gr. Dinwiddie, Va Dinwiddie
    Full Bio
    Graduate Student Dinwiddie, Va Dinwiddie
    Full Bio
  • IF 5'11"
    26

    Ralph Rivera

    Jr. Brooklyn, N.Y. Nazareth Regional
    Full Bio
    Junior Brooklyn, N.Y. Nazareth Regional
    Full Bio
  • OF/P 5'9"
    27

    Braxton Bagley

    Fr. Brandywine, Md. Gwynn Park
    Full Bio
    Freshman Brandywine, Md. Gwynn Park
    Full Bio
  • LHP 6'1"
    28

    Preston Branzelle

    Jr. Chester, Va. Thomas Dale
    Full Bio
    Junior Chester, Va. Thomas Dale
    Full Bio
  • UT 5'8"
    29

    Noah Hamilton

    Fr. Upper Marlboro, Md. Bishop McNamara
    Full Bio
    Freshman Upper Marlboro, Md. Bishop McNamara
    Full Bio
  • UT 5'11"
    33

    Luka Gilliam

    So. Spotsylvania, Va. University Maryland Eastern Shore
    Full Bio
    Sophomore Spotsylvania, Va. University Maryland Eastern Shore
    Full Bio

Staff Roster

Baseball Coaching Staff

  • Head Baseball Coach

    Merrill Morgan

    Full Bio
  • Assistant Baseball Coach

    Andre Hawkes

    Full Bio
  • Assistant Baseball Coach

    Marcus Morgan

    Full Bio
  • Assistant Baseball Coach

    Michael Mallory

    Full Bio
2026 Baseball Roster
# Full Name Pos Ht. Academic Year Hometown / High School
1 Jaron Ward OF 6-3 Sr. Dinwiddie, Va. / Fayetteville Tech
2 Caleb Nicholas OF 6-0 Jr. Buffalo, N.Y. / Hobart College
4 DeCarlos Nora III RHP 5-9 Jr. Beloit, Wis. / Beloit Memorial
5 Nyle Shewmake OF 6-0 Fr. Portsmouth, Va. / Churchland
6 Norman Jackson IF 5-8 Sr. Chesapeake, Va. / Great Bridge
7 Gene Ligon Jr. OF 5-8 Sr. Hackensack ,N.J. / Hackensack
8 Samuel Young IF 6-0 Jr. Blackstone, Va. / Richard Bland CC
9 Matthew May C/RHP 5-11 Sr. Largo, Md. / Charles Flowers
10 Antonio Boone RHP/3B 5-10 So. Portsmouth, Va. / Voorhees
11 Trey Mitchell UT 5-10 Jr. Brunswick, Va. / Eastern Mennonite
12 Julius Turner C 5-11 So. Petersburg, Va. / Petersburg
13 Hector Rivera IF 6-1 So. Norfolk, Va. / Granby
14 Charles Jones RHP 5-10 Jr. Glen Allen, Va. / Glen Allen
16 Johnathan Smith IF 5-11 So. Richmond, Va. / Highland Springs
17 Xavier Nixon OF 5-10 Fr. Hampton, Va. / Hampton High School
18 Christian Balkcom OF 5-11 Fr. Weatly Heights, N.Y. / Holy Trinity
19 Jy'Quez Williams RHP 6-0 So. Virginia Beach, Va. / Landstown
20 Josh Mahan C 6-2 Jr. Richmond, Va. / Highland Springs
21 Alex Dayle 1B 5-10 Sr. Manhattan, N.Y. / La Salle Academy
22 Dominant Turner IF 5-8 Jr. Richmond, Va. / St. Mary College
23 Gavin Stevens RHP 6-3 Jr. Richmond, Va / Varina
25 Jaquan Tucker IF/RHP 6-4 Gr. Dinwiddie, Va / Dinwiddie
26 Ralph Rivera IF 5-11 Jr. Brooklyn, N.Y. / Nazareth Regional
27 Braxton Bagley OF/P 5-9 Fr. Brandywine, Md. / Gwynn Park
28 Preston Branzelle LHP 6-1 Jr. Chester, Va. / Thomas Dale
29 Noah Hamilton UT 5-8 Fr. Upper Marlboro, Md. / Bishop McNamara
33 Luka Gilliam UT 5-11 So. Spotsylvania, Va. / University Maryland Eastern Shore

Baseball Coaching Staff

Baseball - Coaching Staff
Image Name Title
Coach-Merrill-Morgan Merrill Morgan Head Baseball Coach
Coach-Hawkins Andre Hawkes Assistant Baseball Coach
Marcus-Morgan Marcus Morgan Assistant Baseball Coach
Michael-Mallory Michael Mallory Assistant Baseball Coach

Staff Roster

Baseball Coaching Staff

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