WAYNESBURG, Pa. (August 19) – The Waynesburg University women's soccer team looks to continue its ascent in the Presidents' Athletic Conference in 2025.

The Yellow Jackets start their season against Mount Union on Aug. 29 at John F. Wiley Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

2024 Season Review: Waynesburg achieved its second-straight winning season and Presidents' Athletic Conference Tournament appearance last fall. The Jackets finished with an 8-5-4 record and placed sixth in the PAC standings with a 4-3-3 mark in the league.

The Jackets were defeated by third-seeded Allegheny in the PAC Tournament.

Waynesburg boasted one of the stingiest defenses in the PAC, allowing just 19 goals in 17 games. Waynesburg's 1.12 goals against average ranked second in the PAC and third in program history.

The Jackets were one of two PAC teams that tied with eventual PAC champion Grove City. Waynesburg also picked up a point with a draw against Allegheny at Wiley Stadium.

"2024 was another great year for the growth of our program," said fifth-year head coach George DeAugustino. "We were very proud of the product we put out on the field and our young core learned a lot about what it takes to win in a competitive conference like the PAC."

Waynesburg was well represented on the all-conference teams as the Jackets had five selections, all of them underclasswomen, four of which whom were first- or second-team picks, the most for the program since 1999. Rising junior forward Julz Mohrbacher (Freedom, Pa. / Freedom) and defender Waverly Lorne (New Providence, N.J. / Governor Livingston) each collected All-PAC First Team status and received regional honors from the United Soccer Coaches and the Eastern College Athletic Conference.

The Jackets graduated four starters in midfielders Madey Hill, Sutton Clark, Demaree Livingston and defender Brooklyn Loveland.

2025 PAC Preseason Poll: The Jackets were slated fifth in the PAC preseason coaches' poll and were one of three teams to receive a first-place vote.

School (first-place votes) - Points - 2024 record (conference)
1. Grove City College (8) - 116 - 13-4-3 (8-0-2 PAC)
2. Westminster College (3) - 105 - 11-6-1 (9-0-1 PAC)
3. Allegheny College - 96 - 13-7-1 (7-2-1 PAC)
4. Saint Vincent College - 95 - 13-6-1 (6-4 PAC)
5. Waynesburg University (1) - 76 - 8-5-4 (4-3-3 PAC)
6. Franciscan University - 71 - 4-12-1 (3-6-1 PAC)
7. Chatham University - 56 - 8-9-2 (3-5-2 PAC)
8. Washington & Jefferson College - 55 - 5-11-2 (2-7-1 PAC)
9. Bethany College - 40 - 8-7-3 (5-4-1 PAC)
10. Geneva College - 39 - 3-13-1 (2-8 PAC)
11. Hiram College - 32 - 3-12-2 (0-8 NCAC)
12. Thiel College - 11 - 3-15 (0-10 PAC)

Key Returners: Waynesburg returns seven starters and five all-conference players to the squad in 2025.

"We have a lot of experience returning for 2025," said DeAugustino. "This group put in a lot of work throughout the offseason and they are motivated to be even better than last year. We are really looking forward to see how great they can be."

Mohrbacher returns as a two-time All-PAC performer and the Jackets' leading scorer in her first two seasons at Waynesburg. Last fall, she was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region VII Fourth Team and to the PAC All-Tournament Team.

Mohrbacher led the Jackets with nine goals, 20 points, 65 shots and 36 shots on goal. She ranked ninth in the conference in goals and seventh in shots and SOG. Mohrbacher scored against Waynesburg's top opponents, scoring in Waynesburg's draw at Grove City and in the PAC Tournament at Allegheny.

Lorne enjoyed a breakout sophomore season and joined Mohrbacher as an All-PAC First Team pick and received All-ECAC Second Team honors. She emerged as a two-way threat as she totaled five goals, four assists and 14 points. Lorne led the Jackets with four game-winning goals, notching game-winners against Mount Union, Washington & Jefferson, Chatham and Geneva.

Junior goalkeeper Lex Greenlief (Chester, W. Va. / Oak Glen) is a two-year starter in net for the Jackets and a two-time all-conference selection. Greenlief earned the nod as an All-PAC Second Team goalie and was a three-time PAC Defensive Player of the Week.

Greenlief led the PAC with an .862 save percentage and finished third in the conference with a 1.10 goals against average. She posted four solo shutouts and one combined shutout and made 16 saves in Waynesburg's 1-1 draw at eventual PAC champion Grove City.

Sophomore center back Abby Ngugi (Jefferson Hills, Pa. / Thomas Jefferson) contributed immediately as a starter on Waynesburg's back line. She was voted to the All-PAC Second Team as a defender and helped the Jacket defense record five shutouts and three other games without allowing a run of play goal.

Sophomore forward Amanda Pepe (Mantua, N.J. / Gloucester County Institute of Technology) returns after collecting All-PAC Honorable Mention status as a freshman. Pepe finished second on Waynesburg's roster with eight goals and 17 points. Pepe scored in four straight conference games in October during the Jackets' push to qualify for the PAC Tournament.

Senior midfielder Reagan Mittendorf (Bluffton, Ohio / Bluffton) returns as a three-year starter. She earned All-PAC Honorable Mention honors in 2023 and finished fourth on the roster last season with 13 points. Mittendorf scored four goals and tied for the team lead with five assists. Mittendorf notched 11 of her 13 points in PAC play and scored in four PAC games in October.

Junior forward Hailey Gilchrest (Hanover, Va. / Hanover) enjoyed a strong start to the season before injury abbreviated her 2024 season. Gilchrest scored in three of the first five games of the year and netted game-winning goals at La Roche and Carlow.

Junior center back Jocelyn Stiffler (Dillsburg, Pa. / Northern) started 14 games on the back line for the Jackets and was on the field for four Waynesburg shutouts.

Senior defender Linzey Miller (Vandergrift, Pa. / Kiski) played in 15 games with four starts, including the PAC Tournament quarterfinal at Allegheny.

Sophomores Natasha Ward (New Cumberland, W.Va. / Oak Glen) and Alex Delaney (Sturgeon, Pa. / South Fayette) emerged as key reserves in their debut seasons. Ward played in back line and midfield and started five games, including the PAC Tournament matchup at Allegheny. Delaney appeared in 15 games and scored a penalty kick goal at Thiel.

Sophomore Sydney Brown (Kittanning, Pa. / Armstrong) and juniors Nicky Veychek (Irwin, Pa. / Yough) and Amanda Sweeney (Hagerstown, Md. / Grace Academy) each appeared in a dozen games last fall. Brown and Veychek both scored at Thiel.

Newcomers: Waynesburg welcomes an 11-player incoming freshman class from six different states to the squad for 2025.

"We have added a great group of incoming players for 2025, they are already showing how they can make a positive impact for our team this year," said DeAugustino. "They bring great energy to the group and we are excited to see what they can do in their first year at Waynesburg."

Looking at the Schedule: The Jackets have six nonconference games before starting an 11-game PAC schedule, beginning at Westminster on Sept. 24.

Waynesburg's top nonconference tests come against Mount Union (Aug. 29), at Pitt-Greensburg (Sept. 10) and at Baldwin Wallace (Sept. 12).

The Jackets begin PAC play at defending regular season champion Westminster and end the year against defending PAC Tournament champion Grove City on Oct. 29. Waynesburg's October schedule features a three-game homestand against Thiel, Saint Vincent and Chatham before a three-game road swing at Franciscan, Hiram and Geneva before the final against Grove City.

The PAC Tournament features the top six teams in the conference standings with the top two seeds receiving an automatic spot in the conference semifinals. The winner of the PAC Tournament earns an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship.

Last Word: "Our coaching staff is very proud of how hard and how committed this program has been since the end of last season," said DeAugustino. "We know that the PAC is going to be tough again this year and we are excited for that challenge. We have a great non-conference schedule to get us prepared for those big moments. We are looking forward to another great year and cannot wait to see our fans at Wiley starting on Aug. 29. Go Jackets!"