The Waynesburg University wrestling team is set to compete at the NCAA Division III Southeast Regionals at Lycoming College in Williamsport this weekend, Feb. 22. The Yellow Jackets are fresh off their third straight Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championship victory heading into the competition.

Head coach Ron Headlee is ready for all 10 of his starters to compete and make strides towards nationals. Junior Adam Rigney will be competing in the 184-pound weight class and junior Ken Burrs will return from his injury, competing in the 197-pound weight class.

“I would love to get four guys to nationals, I think we have some weight classes that [we can do that in],” said Headlee.

Headlee added that the four he hopes to go to nationals are senior heavyweight Jake Evans and Burrs—both went to nationals last year. Additionally, Headlee said he wants junior 157-pounder Zach Mackall and sophomore 133-pounder Josh Kuslock to make it past regionals. The southeast region is a new region for Waynesburg to be in, which is a reoccurring theme for the Waynesburg wrestling team.

“It’s a new region for us again. We have changed regions the last three years, so I am just trying to learn about some of the new teams that we haven’t seen at all this year,” said Headlee. “Just going in we are unsure of what the new teams [can do].”

Regionals for Headlee and the team is typically taxing, especially since it has been constantly changing on them. However, he still has high hopes and goals for his team.

“It’s always stressful going in,” said Headlee. “Hopefully Jake [Evans] starts a run toward being another national champion, we just think that if we can get three or four guys there that we can make top-15 or even top-10 in the standings. So, that’s what we are looking to do and hoping to do as a team.”

The Yellow Jacket wrestlers finished the regular season 7-8 overall and swept their two PAC foes (2-0). Despite the PAC triumphs, Headlee would have liked to see better overall performances throughout the duration of the season, particular in the first half.

“You always wish you could have had a winning record, so I am a bit disappointed about that,” said Headlee. “We had some matches canceled that we definitely would have won. We definitely rebounded good in the second semester.”

Headlee also mentioned the injuries the team had this season and praised the rest of the team for stepping up in their place.

“Guys stepped in for guys who were injured so, for what we have had I am very pleased with it,” said Headlee. “I would like to be able to keep it going. I think there looking forward to the region coming up, so we are going to push our guys and try to have them ready for that.”

Even though regionals are the biggest tournament of the year, Headlee said that they don’t want to overwork the team. Tuesday, he added, was the toughest day of training and after that it was all slight adjustments and figuring out weights.

“Hopefully we can bring back some hardware after this weekend,” said Headlee.