- "I made Virginia Wesleyan my top choice because of the smaller campus, more one-on-one time with the professors, the S.T.E.M. program with the opportunities in the engineering field, and being a part of the Marlins' track team"
- Selected VWC over Randolph-Macon College, Old Dominion University and James Madison University
Career Highs
Outdoor
Pole Vault: 10’ 10” – (ODAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships – April 17-18, 2015)
Indoor
Pole Vault: 10’ 4” - (ODAC Indoor Track and Field Championships – March 1, 2015)
Shot Put: 24’ 5” – (Vince Brown Invitational – February 8, 2015)
Statistics
Track & Field
First-Year (2014-15): (Indoor) Mainly participated in pole vault in the indoor season, throwing the shot one time… Saved his best for the biggest stages, topping out at 10’ 4” in the pole vault at the ODAC Indoor Championships to take sixth place… (Outdoor) Set his personal best in the pole vault at the ODAC Outdoor Championships, earning fifth place with a 10’ 10” vault… Finished second in his first outdoor meet of the year, vaulting 9’ 7.75” at the Dr. Harry Jopson Track and Field Invite.
Academic Accomplishments: Presidential Scholarship recipient… Dean’s List honoree fall ’14.
Before VWC: Competed in track and field, swimming and football… Recipient of the Nancy Sayer Award for Excellence in Academics, Athletics, and Student Leadership… Ranked 77th in a class of 447… Perfect attendance K through 12… Recipient of the Presidential Award… Member of the Student Council Association… Member, and treasurer, of the National Honors Society.
Personal: Son of Amy and Wade M. Jernigan II… Parents attended Old Dominion University… Has three siblings: Brittany, Jordan and Savannah.
Get to Know Wade
- Enjoys hip-hop, rap and country music, shepherd's pie, and spending vacation time in the Bahamas
- Current favorites include the book "Divergent," the "Fast and the Furious" movie series, and the TV series "The Walking Dead"
- A fan of basketball legend Michael Jordan, football's Washington Redskins, baseball's New York Yankees, basketball's Miami Heat, and actor Kevin Hart
- Self-description in 10 words or less: "self-determined individual who will accomplish anything and everything"
- My career goal after graduation from VWC is: "to have a life-long career that supplies good money in order to take care of my family, to ensure they can have the best lives possible"
- My favorite aspect of being an athlete is: "being a part of a team effort and knowing no matter if you win or lose your teammates have your back!"
- The part of my game I've improved the most is: "pushing myself beyond what I ever believed I could do, as well as having no fear no matter what obstacle is thrown ahead of me"
- My personal athletic goal at VWC is: "to set and break school records"
- It's the year 2030 and: "I'm in a house working on a daily basis, loving my job and supplying for my family as much as I can"
- People might be surprised to know: "I was supposed to be born a girl"
- The most important advice I've received is: "don't ever use excuses. Hard work, no excuses!" -- Dad
