Story and photo by Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director

College of the Canyons defensive back Jauqine Vukobradovich is the 10th member of the Cougars’ 2019 conference championship team to sign on with a four-year program after committing to North Carolina Central University (NCCU) last week.

NCCU is an NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) program located in Durham, North Carolina. The Eagles compete in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The sophomore safety out of Grace Brethren High School in Simi Valley started in every game he played for Canyons, 23 in all, helping the Cougars to a pair of Southern California Football Association (SCFA) National Division, Northern League championships in 2018 and 2019.

This past season Vukobradovich finished fourth on the team with 49 total tackles, including 42 of the solo variety, to go with an interception and three tackles for loss. He was named an All-SCFA Second Team selection.

As a freshman in 2018, Vukobradovich recorded 24 total tackles, an interception and both a forced fumble and fumble recovery as a member of the state’s top-ranked defensive unit. That season COC limited opponents to a state-best 9.5 points per game and surrendered just 10 touchdowns during the regular season, while the 133.8 passing yards allowed per game was also the state’s best mark.

Vukobradovich is the second former Cougar to join the Eagles’ roster in recent years with fellow COC defensive back Bryan Mills having inked with the NCCU program prior to the 2019 season. Mills went on to earn 2019 AFCA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Coaches’ All-America Team honors in addition to being named a First Team All-MEAC honoree after leading the conference with five interceptions.

Vukobradovich joins Armani Edden (University of Hawai’i at Mānoa), Alonzell Henderson (University of Hawai’i at Mānoa), offensive tackle Kilian Zierer (University of Auburn), center Jordan Palmer (Middle Tennessee State University), kicker Tanner Brown (University of Nevada Las Vegas), defensive tackle Jack Schultz (Abilene Christian University), linebacker Tyler Richardson (Wagner College), safety Tre Vallar (Wagner College) and offensive tackle Kideam Diouf (Arkansas State University) as members of the 2019 Cougars’ squad that have committed to four-year programs.

Canyons (9-3, 4-1) shared the 2019 National Division, Northern League championship with Ventura College (8-3, 4-1) and Long Beach City College (7-3, 4-1) before moving on and defeating Saddleback College in the first round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs. COC then lost to eventual state champions Riverside City College in the Southern California Championship game.

Stay up to date on all this season’s action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.