Wrestling team lauded as one of nation's best

Yellow Jacket grapplers receive no. 28 ranking by NWCA

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wrestling photo for NWCA ranking release

Under the guidance of first-year coaches Ron Headlee (right) and John Yates (left), the Waynesburg University wrestling team has wrestlled well enough to receive a national top 30 ranking from the NWCA.

WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Feb. 11) – The Waynesburg University wrestling team was rewarded for their unbelievable turnaround from last season to this one as they received a national top 30 team ranking by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) on Wednesday.

It is the first time in recorded team history that the team has been ranked since joining the NCAA in 1990. The NWCA rankings are the same ones that appear on the NCAA’s official website.

The Yellow Jackets, who finished the regular season with a 10-4 record and a 7-0 mark against Division III opponents, were ranked 28^th by the NWCA following an upset win over Division II Shippensburg and a strong showing at the John Summa Invitational, which was hosted by Baldwin-Wallace College this past week.

The Jackets joined Loras (Iowa) College as new additions to the weekly rankings.

The feat was made even more impressive by the fact that they were coming off of a combined one win over the last two seasons.

However, this latest honor is the last thing on the Yellow Jackets’ minds as they are currently preparing for Saturday’s Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Championships, which will be held at Washington and Jefferson College. The first bout is scheduled to get underway at 4 p.m.

For a complete look at this week’s NWCA rankings, click here.

Sport:

2.10.12 | 5 p.m.

Wrestling vs PAC Tournament

Athletes of the Week

Jessi Drayer

Women's Basketball

Drayer poured in a team-high 21.0 points per game for the 1-1 Yellow Jackets this past week. She was the team’s leading scorer in both games, going for a game-high 23 points against Westminster, before pouring in a contest-best 19 points in a win over Geneva. The Waterford, Ohio native averaged 21 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game this week.

Dan Bruni

Wrestling

Bruni went 3-0 during Waynesburg’s home quad-match against Penn State Greater Allegheny, Penn State Beaver and Penn State Fayette. The sophomore won two matches by major decision and scored a fall in just 31 seconds over Greater Allegheny’s Soham Salvi.

What are you most looking forward to in 2012 when it comes to Waynesburg sports?

Seeing how far the women's basketball team can go in the PAC tournament and beyond.
The wrestling team going for a third-straight PAC team title.
The Jacket softball team playing to get back into the PAC playoffs.
Waynesburg track taking another shot at an elusive PAC team title.
Just being outside when the weather turns warm.

Did You Know...

Jackets own Nittany Lions

The Waynesburg football team is 2-0 all-time against Penn State. The last time they met was in 1932, when the Jackets won 7-6.

TV Football

Waynesburg played in the first televised football game. The Yellow Jackets faced Fordham on Sept. 20, 1939 in Randalls Island, N.Y.

Don Herrman

Former Waynesburg football great Don Herrman played for the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints from 1969 to 1977.

The Three Musketeers

Dominick Hunter, Ivan Hawkins and Paul D'Imperio, who rank 1-2-3 in career receptions , all played together from 2002 to 2004.

Unbreakable record

In 2009, Scott Cree ran an interception back 100 yards for a touchdown, a record that can't be broken.

Going nowhere fast

Waynesburg held Westminster to minus-105 yards rushing in a game in 1967.

Headlee's All-American resume

Head wrestling coach Ron Headlee was a three-time NAIA All-American at Messiah College and the school's first NCAA All-American.

Champions in the classroom

During the 2009-10 school year, no school in the conference boasted more honorees on the PAC Academic Honor Roll than Waynesburg.

Waynesburg University Athletics