Northern Essex pitcher Voelker named DIII Pitcher of the Year
Charlotte, NC: Jayden Voelker of Northern Essex (MA) Community College has been named the 2024 NJCAA Division III Baseball Pitcher of the Year. Voelker is the second straight Northern Essex pitcher to win the award.
In the 2024 season, the sophomore pitched 61.0 innings with a nation-leading 126 strikeouts and a 1.48 ERA. His 18.59 strikeouts per game led the nation, and he finished the record with an 8-2 record.
"Jayden's leadership on and off the field set the tone for his teammates all year! His relentless pursuit of being the best he could be was contagious and lifted everyone's performance," Northern Essex head baseball coach Jeff Mejia said.
Voelker took the mound in game 2 of the Championship series in the Northeast District Championship against Kingsborough with a chance to lead the Knights to the World Series. Over six innings, Voelker struck out 12 batters while only allowing two hits and no earned runs. This led Northern Essex to the DIII Baseball World Series for the third straight season.
Facing off against top-ranked RCSJ Gloucester, Voelker took the mound in the biggest of stages for the Knights. Voelker pitched 6.1 innings and struck out nine, allowing only two hits and one earned run against the eventual national champions.
"Jayden's numbers speak for themselves, but his leadership, confidence and work ethic are what separates him from the pack," coach Mejia said.
2024 Stats
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11 appearances
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61.0 innings
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8-2 record
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126 strikeouts (led the nation)
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18.59 strikeouts per 9 innings (led the nation)
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1.02 WHIP
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1.48 ERA (second in the nation)
2024 Accomplishments
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2024 NJCAA Division III Baseball First-Team All-America Selection
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Named NJCAA Division III Baseball Pitcher of the Week Three times in 2024
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First Team All-Region 21 Selection
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NJCAA Division III Region 21 Pitcher of the Year
