WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Oct. 29) – Second-year head coach Karli Thomas is more than a little excited about this year's Waynesburg University women's wrestling team.
 
"We have more than double the amount of athletes we had last year. We have 14 total and we only finished the season with six," Thomas said. "We have a couple more competitions than we did last year, including a second home match. We are also traveling to other schools for dual competitions, which is something we didn't get to do last year."
 
Like any other coach looking to build a program from the ground up, a vastly larger roster that features nine freshmen is the biggest sign that Waynesburg women's wrestling is heading in the right direction.
 
"It's been a relief. We didn't even qualify for regionals last year because of our low numbers," Thomas said. "It's easier in the room having more girls. They have better practice partners, more practice partners. We actually have a chance to win a dual meet this year. Even if we won all our bouts last year, we'd lose because of forfeits."
 
Though the Jackets will still have forfeits to deal with, they should feature a much more complete weight sheet in dual matches. While they are not expected to have anyone handling the 103-pound class, their most successful grappler from a year ago, sophomore Faryn Dewitt (Scottdale, Pa. / Southmoreland), is back and is the leader to start at 110 pounds.
 
Dewitt posted Waynesburg's best overall record (11-15) and its best dual record (7-6). She also tied for the team lead with four pins.
 
Freshman Anastasia Curitti (Fernley, Nev. / Coral Academy of Science) has drawn rave reviews from her head coach and is the odds-on leader to handle the 117-pound class.
 
The Jackets look to have solid depth at 124 pounds, where freshmen Gianna Horner and Annalie Mejia, join sophomore Melanie Matherson (Fort Cherry, Pa. / Fort Cherry). After going 3-16 last year, with all three wins coming by forfeit or default, Matherson was highly praised by Thomas, who noted her vast improvement from last year.
 
At 131 pounds, the Jackets will be looking towards a pair of western Pennsylvania freshmen to battle for the job in Haylie Russano from Shaler High School and Paula Sanchez from Valley.
 
The 138-pound weight class features another attention-grabbing freshman in Calista Binning (Amelia, Ohio / West Clermont). She will have an experienced workout partner in junior Kaylee Jegla (Chesterfield, Mich. / L'Anse Creuse High School North), who will also be battling for the job.
 
Jegla, who went 2-11 last year and logged her first collegiate pin, could also take the starting spot at 145.
 
While Waynesburg currently has no one listed at 160 pounds, it does have another freshman/junior combo at 180 with first-year grappler Addison Soost and returner Rylie Alexander (Mount Clemens, Mich. / L'Anse Creuse High School North). Alexander went 2-7 in her first year in a Yellow Jacket singlet.
 
The Jackets boast their most depth at 207 pounds, where sophomore Ja'Khia Matthews (Charlottesville, Va. / Albermarle) is back after posting an 8-17 overall record last year and finishing behind Dewitt in virtually every major statistical category.
 
Pushing Matthews for the job will be freshmen Mya Wallace (Vero Beach, Fla. / Vero Beach) and LaAunjahnay Lane.
 
"I feel a lot more confident this year. I feel like we are more prepared for this year. We have a year under our belts and I really feel prepared this season," Thomas said. "I'm really excited for our whole team. I want to see us win a dual meet and I think we have a really good chance of doing that. We have some girls that are better wrestlers this year and our returners have gotten better."
 
The Yellow Jackets open the second season in program history on Sunday, Nov. 2, at the John Carroll Women's Round Robin. Wrestling is expected to get underway at 11 a.m. Five days later, they will be in the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse for a 6 p.m. dual match against Penn State Altoona.