WAYNESBURG, Pa. (August 27) – The Waynesburg University men's cross country team opens its 2025 campaign at the Westminster Fisher Invitational on Aug. 29.
 
2024 Season Review: The Yellow Jackets featured a young roster with freshmen making up half of Waynesburg's lineup in 2024.
 
The Jackets placed eighth at the Presidents' Athletic Conference Championships at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds and went on to finish 28th at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional at Lock Haven.
 
"The group was small, but mighty last season," said 15th-year head coach Chris Hardie. "They worked hard each and every day and held each other accountable, and that is all we can ask. I am proud of the progress they made as a team in 2024."
 
Waynesburg's fastest times came at Gettysburg's Aubrey Shenk Invitational on October with multiple freshmen leading the way.
 
After the conclusion of the season, Waynesburg was honored as an All-Academic Team by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for the fifth time since 2019.
 
2025 PAC Preseason Poll: The Jackets were picked seventh in the conference's preseason poll.
 
School (first-place votes) - Points - 2024 PAC Championships finish
1. Geneva (5) - 112 - 2nd of 10 (68 pts.)
2. Grove City (1) - 98 - 5th of 10 (77 pts.)
3. Franciscan (3) - 96 - 1st of 10 (67 pts.)
4. Allegheny (2) - 94 - 6th of 10 (148 pts.)
5. Washington & Jefferson - 87 - 4th of 10 (75 pts.)
6. Saint Vincent (1) - 85 - 3rd of 10 (70 pts.)
7. Waynesburg - 56 - 8th of 10 (256 pts.)
8. Hiram - 49 - 9th of 9 (NCAC Championships)
9. Westminster - 47 - 7th of 10 (235 pts.)
10. Chatham - 29 - 9th of 10 (258 pts.)
11. Bethany - 20 - 10th of 10 (305 pts.)
12. Thiel - 19 - Individuals only at PAC Championships
 
Key Returners: Waynesburg returns four runners with collegiate cross country experience for the 2025 season.
 
"Each one of our returners talks with me, almost daily, about elevating the program," said Hardie. "They are all in on helping the program get better. It's a team mentality and there is no selfishness. I really respect that."
 
Sophomore Ethan Wilson (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Redeemer Lutheran) and junior Kyle Casella (Clarksboro, N.J. / Kingsway) were featured in Waynesburg's top three finishers in all eight meets last season.
 
Wilson placed as Waynesburg's top runner at the PAC Preview and Muskingum. He logged a time of 29:57 in the 8k at Gettysburg and placed 81st and 189th at the PAC Championships and NCAA Regional, respectively.
 
Casella, a regionally-ranked hurdler during the 2025 outdoor season, also ran a season-best 8k at Gettysburg (30:04) last fall. He crossed 84th at the PAC Championships and 183rd at regionals.
 
Sophomore Nicky Todd (Homer City, Pa. / Homer Center) rans as Waynesburg's No. 4 at W&J and Lock Haven. Senior Kyle Knowlton (Kingwood, W.Va. / Kingwood) returns after appearing in three meets for the Jackets in 2024.
 
Newcomers: Sophomores Chris Fox (Altoona, Pa. / Altoona Area) and Sterlin Mullins (Circleville, Ohio / Circleville) will make their official debuts for Waynesburg cross country after competing for the Jackets in track last academic year. The Jackets also add a trio of freshmen for the fall.
 
Looking at the Schedule: The Waynesburg cross country schedule features six regular season meets before the conference and regional championships in November.
 
The PAC Championships are set for Nov. 1 in Meadville, Pa., with a preview meet scheduled for Sept. 20. The NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional will be held Nov. 15 in Newville, Pa., which also hosts the Dickinson Long-Short Invitational on Sept. 27.
 
Waynesburg opens the season at the Westminster Fisher Invitational on Aug. 29 and continues with trips to Bethany (Sept. 13) and Gettysburg (Oct. 18).
 
Last Word: "Our theme for our season is 'ELEVATE' and we will look for ways to elevate on and off the xc course," said Hardie. "We are committed to finding ways to be the best version of ourselves, and we are excited for this journey."