Glenville State University Athletics

JJ Mayer is in his seventh season on the Glenville State Pioneer Football staff, serving as the Defensive Backs Coach for the past six seasons and is in his second year as the Defensive Coordinator in 2025.
 
In Mayer's first season as Defensive Coordinator, the Pioneers had their best finish since joining the MEC in 2013, going (7-4, 7-2 MEC) and placing 2nd in the league. Seven of the nine Pioneer All-Conference performers were on the defensive side of the ball, including two All-MEC First Team selections in Jamair Diaz and Mark Shepherd Jr. Isaiah Macklin, Hayden Moore and Shaun Sterling Jr. were All-MEC Second Team selections while Joshua Carr and Brogan Brown were All-MEC Honorable Mention. Diaz was named MEC Defensive Player of the Year while earning Don Hansen First Team All-American, AP Second Team All-American, AFCA Second Team All-American, D2 Elite 100 and being a Cliff Harris Award Finalist. Jaiden McLendon-Parker was also named the league's Defensive Freshman of the Year. 

The 2023 Pioneer defense once again ranked second (tied) in the MEC in interceptions with 17. Mark Shepherd Jr. and Shaun Sterling Jr. led the DB room, earning All-MEC honors.

In 2022, the Pioneers were second in the Mountain East Conference for interceptions with 17, averaging more than one per game in consecutive seasons. GSU also ranked toward the top of the conference in defensive efficiency. Defensive backs Brandon Penn and Shaun Sterling Jr. were named to All-MEC Teams.  
 
During the 2021 season, Glenville’s defensive backs forced 12 interceptions and 35 pass breakups. Freshman Brandon Penn would sit atop of Division II for interceptions with seven. Penn was also named to the All-MEC First team. 
 
In his third year, with just four games, the defensive backs tallied two interceptions. 
 
In year two, the defense recorded 21 interceptions as they ranked 1st in the MEC in Turnover Margin and 2nd overall in Pass Defense Efficiency.  
 
In JJ’s first season with the Pioneers, the defensive backs recorded nine total interceptions in 2018, while their pass defense ranked 9th in the MEC last season.  
 
JJ also took over duties for Special Teams in 2019 for the Pioneers. 
 
Prior to joining GSC, Mayer spent eight seasons with the Alderson Broaddus Battlers football team as the Defensive Coordinator, Recruiting Coordinator, and Defensive Backs coach. 
 
The Clarksburg, W.Va. native coaches defensive backs and graduated from Fairmont State with a degree in Sport Management. 
 
Prior to AB, Mayer coached defensive backs at DII Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts. 
 
Mayer played four seasons at Fairmont State as a defensive back. 
 
He resides in Clarksburg, West Virginia.