Nick Verna is entering his 4th year as the Wide Receivers Coach at the University of Charleston.
Verna returns to Charleston after the completion of the 2021 spring season coaching a new unit. The program achieved a first in school history in 2021 spring, as one of Coach Verna’s wide receiver made school history. Michael Strachan was selected in the 2021 NFL draft to the Indianapolis Colts. Michael was selected in the 7th Round Pick 229.
Recently, the 2021 spring season came to completion where Charleston won the south division and earned a spot in the conference title game. In Coach Verna’s wide receiver room, first year starter and new member to the program Marquis McCoy earned 1st team All Mountain-East Honors producing with 19 receptions, 312 yards, 4 touchdowns in a condensed season of 4 games.
During his second year with the program, the wide receiver unit produced record numbers in helping Charleston to an 8-3 record. Under his tutelage, Michael Strachan finished a historic season with 78 receptions, 1,319 yards, and 19 touchdowns, earning him Second Team All-American and First Team All Mountain-East, while breaking all single season records for a wide receiver in school history. Tremaine Ross finished with 44 receptions, 684 yards, and 6 touchdowns, earning him Second Team All-Mountain East. Xzavion Gordon added to unit production finishing with 31 receptions, 509 yards, and 1 touchdown.
In his first year, the wide receivers saw success and helped the team to a 6-5 overall record. Coach Verna coached Redshirt Sophomore Michael Strachan, who amassed 1,000 yards and was First Team All-Mountain East. In 2018, Strachan set the single season receiving yards record at Charleston with 1,007 yards.
Coach Verna comes to The University of Charleston, after serving at The University of Akron for four seasons as a Defensive Graduate Assistant and Defensive Student Assistant Coach. During his time at Akron, Coach Verna was part of a program that was on the rise. In 2015, the Akron Zips won the most games in a season in school history (8 games), as well as winning the first bowl game in school history (Idaho Potato Bowl). In 2015, the Akron Zips finished 3rd in all of College Football in Rush Defense, and 1st in the Mid-American Conference in Total Defense. In 2017, the Akron Zips won the Eastern Division of the Mid-American Conference and clinched a bowl berth in the Boca Raton Cheribundi Bowl.
Coach Verna is a graduate of The University of Akron where he earned two degrees, Masters of Public Administration 2017, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Sport Management 2015. Coach also earned his Associates in Liberal Arts from Erie Community College in 2013 where he was a Quarterback on the football team.
