WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Dec. 2) – The Waynesburg University track and field team is set to attack its indoor schedule after the women placed fourth at the 2021-22 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Indoor Championships and the men placed eighth out of 10 squads. Veteran head coach Chris Hardie will be looking to lead both squads further up their respective conference ladders.
 
The Yellow Jacket women are highlighted by senior standouts Michaela Rose (Sandy Lake, Pa. / Lakeview), Becca Dolce (Hanover, Pa. / DeLone Catholic) and Katherine Henderson (Hundred, W.Va. / Hundred). These three will be counted upon to lead the team's sprinters, throwers and jumpers, respectively.
 
Rose stood out in the 60-meter sprints during last year's indoor season and finished second at the PAC Championships with a time of 7.95 seconds. She added a silver medal in the 200 meters with a mark of 26.79 seconds. Rose's numbers in the 200 continued to drop once she headed outdoors. At last year's Outdoor PAC Championships, she completed the race in 26.18 seconds. The veteran standout was no slouch in the 100 meters either, which she completed with the second-place mark of 12.78 seconds.
 
Despite making her season debut at last year's indoor conference championships, Dolce put together solid marks in both the shotput and weight toss. She placed third in the weight toss with a mark of 12.55 meters (41-2.25) and fifth in the shot with a heave of 10.94 meters (33-10.75). Dolce's distance in the shotput increased in the outdoor championships with a mark of 11.09 meters (36-4.61).
 
Henderson proved to be one of the top all-around athletes in the PAC at last year's conference indoor championships. She was named PAC Co-Most Outstanding Performer From the Field at the meet. She picked up the honor after placing in the top eight of all three jumps. Henderson highlighted the Yellow Jackets' trip to Youngstown, Ohio, by winning the long jump with a distance of 5.20 meters (17-0.75). She added a silver in the high jump after clearing 1.45 meters (4-9) and placed sixth in the triple jump (9.61 meters, 31-6.5).
 
The Jackets are also excited by the return of junior Audrey Doby (South Park, Pa. / South Park), who adds valuable depth in the jumps.
 
When it comes to the distance events, Waynesburg will have some big holes to fill brought on by graduation. However, the squad has several young contributors that Coach Hardie and his staff are confident can help soften the blow. Leading the charge is junior Gabi Reifsnyder (Carlisle, Pa. / Big Spring), who medaled at last year's PAC Indoor Championships in the 5,000 meters. Freshmen Reagan Pettis (West Springfield, Pa. / Northwestern) and Grace Tanksley (Bedford, Ind. / Bedford North Lawrence) were two of Waynesburg's top cross country performers this fall and expectations are high for their first track season.
 
Turing to the men, junior Kai Herbert (Baltimore, Md. / Mt. St. Joseph) is expected to be one of the top hurdlers in the PAC this year. He is coming off a bronze medal performance at last year's indoor conference championship meet in the 60-meter hurdles (8.72 seconds). Both he and junior Cole Thiec (Stoneborough, Pa. / Lakeview) found the medal stand at the 2022 PAC Outdoor Championships.
 
Waynesburg also boasts one of the PAC's top sprinters. Junior Isaiah Mathews (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Montour) didn't compete in last year's indoor conference championships, but logged fifth-place showings in both the 100 and 200 meters in the outdoor meet. Sophomore Zach Berrott (Plum, Pa. / Plum) is also expected to be one of the team's top contributors in its shortest races.
 
When it comes to the longer distance events, watch for sophomore Luke Whisel (Monroeville, Pa. / Gateway) and junior Andrew Kasper (Orchard Park, N.Y. / Orchard Park), who both medaled at last year's indoor conference championships in the 5,000 meters. Sophomore Nolan Curran (Ellwood City, Pa. / Ellwood City) will also be counted upon to pace the distance runners.
 
Moving to the field events, junior Aidan Sheely (Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Mechanicsburg) and sophomores Garrett Hillard (Greenville, Pa. / Greenville) and Isaac Huey (Klymer, Pa. / Purchase Line) create the Yellow Jackets' core group of throwers. Hillard took fifth in the shot put at last year's PAC Indoor Championships.
 
The Jackets open the 2022-23 track and field schedule on Friday, Dec. 2, with a trip to the Youngstown State University Icebreaker presented by Southwoods Health.