A Gaithersburg, Md., native, David Mervis joined the North Alabama baseball staff in 2022 as a volunteer assistant coach and pitching coach for the Lions. He previously served as Player and Pitcher Development Coordinator in 2022 on the staff at the University of Delaware with current UNA head coach Jad Prachniak.
As a player, Mervis pitched at West Chester University and the University of Delaware.
Following college, he played professionally for the Washington Wild Things in the Frontier League, as well as the Billings Mustangs in the Pioneer League.
"Having the opportunity to coach David as a player and to now work with him on the same staff, it has always been clear to me what a bright future he has in this profession," Prachniak said. "He has always had a mature approach and showed exemplary leadership skills. We are grateful to have him join us as our pitching coach. He will be instrumental in the development of our pitchers. Coach Mervis is one of the best rising coaches in our sport. We are fortunate to have him."
"North Alabama is an outstanding, rapidly growing University and I am proud to join Coach Prachniak's staff, and ready to get to work," Mervis said. "We have an exciting future ahead."
Mervis redhsirted as a true freshman at Virginia Commonwealth University and then played during his redshirt freshman season.
He was a starting pitcher at West Chester in 2019, with 11 starts and one relief appearance for a total of 57.2 innings. He posted a 5-1 record with two seven-inning complete games, a 4.37 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He was second on the team with 63 strikeouts and had 10 strikeouts in seven shutout innings in the team’s 3-1 win against Goldey Beacom on March 17.. He was named a second-team All-PSAC East starting pitcher.
In a COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, he went 1-1with a 5.84 ERA in three appearances, including three starts.
In 2021 at Delaware, he appeared in six games with five starts.
