Shelton State's Jake Vickerson Named NJCAA Division I Assistant Coach Of The Year

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa native and Shelton State Community College assistant baseball coach Jake Vickerson has been named the NJCAA Division I Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

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Vickerson is entering his ninth season with the Buccaneers under longtime head coach and mentor Bobby Sprowl and was praised for establishing himself as one of Alabama's top young coaches.

"Jake Vickerson is one of the best hitting coaches in the country," Sprowl said. "It's a well-deserved honor for him. He certainly deserves to be recognized for all his hard work. It has been fun watching him grow as a young man and as a coach."

He will be honored along with other 2024 award recipients at the 81st annual ABCA Convention on Jan. 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

Vickerson's duties on Sprowl's staff include serving as recruiting coordinator and hitting coach, in addition to third base coach duties during games.

A former standout Hillcrest High School, Vickerson's time with Shelton State began as a player, where he was the starting center fielder for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

The 2012 team posted a 40-13 record and advanced to the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado.

He then went on to play at Mississippi State, where he posted a .990 career fielding percentage as an outfielder over his two seasons and was a two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll.

During his tenure as an assistant coach for the Bucs, the team has snagged 265 wins, including three seasons with over 40 victories and seven seasons with more than 30 wins.

The team has also averaged 23.2 wins per season in conference play and advanced to the NJCAA World Series three times in the past four years.

The Buccaneers finished with a 43-19 record last season and secured sixth place in the NJCAA Division I World Series. Last season also saw Shelton State set a school record with 28 conference wins on their way to a seventh trip to the World Series.

Vickerson was instrumental in guiding first-team All-American Kyle Morrison, who won the 2024 ACCC Batting Title with a .450 average — the second-highest in program history.

The Bucs' offense was among the best in school history, leading the state in hits (637), triples (18), and total bases (938).

Shelton State also ranked second statewide in several categories, including batting average (.328), on-base percentage (.468), and runs scored (502).

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