UC Merced Magazine | Volume XX, Issue VI

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By Andrew Mitchell Jaron Mertle, one of UC Merced’s all-time basketball stars, has decided to return for a h year. e 6-6 post player from Lakeport got his undergraduate degree in May 2023 and is now enrolled in the Master of Management program, giving him an extra year to burn up the court. “It’s been a journey,” Mertle said. “A really fun journey, too.” is will be his h season playing for the Bobcats. He has an undergraduate degree in management and business economics and is the third men’s basketball student-athlete in as many years to embark on the management program. A three-time Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete, Mertle has 476 career rebounds, 40 blocks, 10 double-doubles and a .493 eld goal percentage. Last year, he was the only NAIA player on the West Coast with at least 8.0 points per game, 8.6 rebounds per game, 21 blocks and a 53.9 eld goal percentage all at the same time. He said he plans to work as hard, if not harder, to make the most of this h go-around.

“My only goal this year is to give the game, coach [Kevin] Pham and my teammates everything I got so at the end of the day I can say no matter what happens, I gave my last year at UC Merced everything that I could,” Mertle said. “I need to go out knowing that I had nothing le to give.” Mertle also is allowed the h year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic that shortened his freshman season, which nevertheless resulted in a championship trophy in 2020-21. Mertle and the Bobcats have made the postseason every year since, including winning a playo game at home a season ago that Mertle lists as his favorite game so far. He doesn't save his stellar play for the basketball court. Academically, Mertle nished top ve in the UC Merced student-athlete class of 2024 with a 3.73 GPA. Professionally, the Chancellor’s List scholar is already well on his way to success. “Starting last year, I was allowed to intern at a nancial advising rm in my hometown,” Mertle said. “I jumped on that opportunity and they have allowed me to continue working through the basketball season and school year. I am really enjoying it, really learning a lot, and I am making a lot of connections that could bene t me a er basketball and a er school.”

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