Waynesburg rallies to earn third-straight PAC title

Waynesburg rallies to earn third-straight PAC title

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GREENVILLE, Pa. (pacathletics.org) – Waynesburg University claimed its third-straight Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) team championship Friday night at Thiel College’s Beeghly Gymnasium.  

The Yellow Jackets totaled 108.50 points in the three-team field, edging runner-up Washington & Jefferson College by just five points (103.50) for the top spot. Host Thiel was third with 86.50 points.  

Waynesburg has claimed seven PAC team titles.

Waynesburg finished with five PAC champions, two runners-up and three third-place finishers. W&J had three competitors claim PAC titles while finishing with five runners-up and three third-place finishers. Thiel had a pair of PAC champions, three runners-up and four third-place finishers.   

This year’s league championships featured double-elimination brackets with each school having the opportunity to enter up to two student-athletes in each of the 10 weight classes.

Waynesburg senior heavyweight Jake Evans (Elizabeth, Pa. | Elizabeth Forward) was voted the league's Most Outstanding Wrestler for the second time in his career (2017). With his pinfall victory (1:23) over W&J freshman Jake Walker (McDonald, Pa. | South Fayette) in the championship bout, he established a new NCAA all-divisions record with 175 career wins.

Friday marked Evans’ fourth-straight PAC title. He is the first four-time conference champion since W&J’s Jacob Spearman wrestled to four-straight titles from 2013-16 (125-pound titles in 2013, 2014, 2016; 133-pound title in 2015). Evans is the first league heavyweight to win four straight titles since Thiel’s Kyle Brown (2004-07).  

Waynesburg 11th-year head coach Ron Headlee was voted the PAC’s Coach of the Year for the third-straight year. The Coach of the Year award was Headlee’s seventh.

W&J junior 157-pound Hunter Neely (Cokeburg, Pa. | Bentworth) secured his third-straight PAC title Friday, posting a 10-2 major decision victory over Waynesburg junior Zach Mackall (Austintown, Ohio | Austintown Fitch) in the title bout. He won at 165 in 2018 after claiming the title at 157 in 2017. 

All three programs are slated to represent the PAC at this year’s NCAA Division III Southeast Regional Championships, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, February 22-23 at Lycoming College's Keiper Recreation Center in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.  
 
All-PAC First Team
Wt. Name School Yr. Hometown | High School
125 Dylan Williams Waynesburg Fr. Schellsburg, Pa. | Chestnut Ridge
133 Josh Kuslock Waynesburg So. Hickory, Pa. | Chartiers-Houston
141 Matt Lascola Waynesburg Jr. Pittsburgh, Pa. | Langley
149 Michael Heinl W&J Jr. Glenshaw, Pa. | Shaler
157 Hunter Neely W&J Jr. Cokeburg, Pa.  | Bentworth
165 Jared Walker W&J Jr. McDonald, Pa. | South Fayette
174 Anthony Welsh Waynesburg Fr. Fredericktown, Pa. | Beth-Center
184 Dominic Farabaugh Thiel Sr. Loretto, Pa. | Penn Cambria
197 Gage Gladysz Thiel Jr. Greenville, Pa. | Greenville
285 Jake Evans Waynesburg Sr. Elizabeth, Pa. | Elizabeth Forward
 
All-PAC Second Team
Wt. Name School Yr. Hometown | High School
125 Manny Dovshek W&J Fr. Scenery Hill, Pa. | Bentworth
133 Vinnie Catania W&J Fr. Frederick, Md. | Tuscarora
141 Vinnie Mion Thiel Sr. Mount Oliver, Pa. | Carrick
149 Lukas McClain Thiel Fr. Ridgeway, Pa. | Ridgeway
157 Zach Mackall Waynesburg Jr. Austintown, Ohio | Austintown Fitch
165 Dan Verhovsek Waynesburg Jr. Johnstown, Pa. | Richland
174 Austin Bonacci Thiel So. West Mifflin, Pa. | West Mifflin
184 Alex Miller W&J Jr. Fredericksburg, Md. | Riverbend
197 Robert West W&J Sr. Washington, Pa. | Trinity
285 Jake Walker W&J Fr. McDonald, Pa. | South Fayette
 
All-PAC Honorable Mention
Wt. Name School Yr. Hometown | High School
125 Devyn Giovengo Thiel Fr. McKees Rocks, Pa. | Montour
133 Daniel Florentino W&J So. McMurray, Pa. | Peters Township
141 Josh Armstrong W&J Sr. Greensburg, Pa. | Greensburg-Salem
149 Jaeden Gordon Waynesburg Fr. Aliquippa, Pa. | Central Valley
157 Jason Miller Thiel Sr. Clarsville, Pa. | Jefferson Morgan
165 Josh Christner Thiel Fr. Greenville, Pa. | Living Word Christian School
174 Jaden Datz W&J Fr. Ruffs Dale, Pa. | Southmoreland
184 Adam Rigney Waynesburg Jr. Mount Union, Pa. | Mount Union
197 Nick Kusich Waynesburg Sr. Avella, Pa. | Avella
285 Gavin Colligan Thiel Jr. Portville, N.Y. | Portville
 
PAC Sportsmanship Team
Wt. Name School Yr. Hometown | High School
197 Devan Van Vliet Thiel Jr. Hellertown, Pa. | Saucon Vallye
133 Vinnie Catania W&J Fr. Frederick, Md. | Tuscarora
174 Dillon Charlton Waynesburg So. Stoystown, Pa. | North Star