The Waynesburg University women’s cross country team has emerged as a dynasty in recent years. The Jackets have been so dominant that it’s easy to forget that there was once a time when they had never won a Presidents’ Athletic Conference title, but that was the case entering the 2016 season. It took the arrival of a consistent, hard-working freshman class to help vault the team to the pinnacle of the conference. 

Among the runners that joined the Waynesburg squad in 2016 was Mary Beth Cunningham. Cunningham, now a senior, only visited Waynesburg once before deciding to attend. When she finally visited Greene County, however, the Grayson County, Virginia native immediatly felt at home. 

“Many factors helped me pick Waynesburg,” Cunningham said. “But the main reason I came was because of how welcoming everyone was.” 

Even though her campus visit came four years ago, Cunningham remembers all of it vividly. 

“The cross country team threw a pizza party and everything,” Cunningham said. “The runners and the coaching staff made me feel like they really cared and wanted me there.” 

As impressed as Cunningham was with the reception she got at Waynesburg, it’s possible that her team was even more impressed by her. For head coach Chris Hardie, Cunningham made an impact from the moment she arrived. 

“I knew from the beginning that Mary Beth was going to be a hard worker and a good teammate,” Hardie said. “She talked a lot about being someone that wanted to help the team be successful.” 

Despite Cunningham’s talent, Hardie didn’t see any ego in the freshman runner. 

“Most of our conversations weren’t about her accomplishments,” Hardie said. “They were about team success and how she could help her teammates be the best that they could be.” 

The team certainly found success that season, winning its first conference championship. Waynesburg has continued its winning ways ever since, capturing four consecutive PAC titles. 

“I think the most important factor in our success was the family aspect,” Cunningham said. “We hold each other accountable, but always encourage each other.” 

Just as Waynesburg has continued to dominate the PAC, Cunningham has continued to grow as a mentor on the team. 

“She’s taken on a leadership role, especially in the last two years,” Hardie said. “She really stepped up and helped the younger Yellow Jackets.” 

Cunningham had to battle several physical ailments in her time at Waynesburg. She missed out on most of her junior season with a nagging knee injury, and has battled tendonitis for the last two years. Despite these setbacks, Cunningham continued to lead by example and encourage her teammates. 

“She always put the team first,” Hardie said. “And that’s something you don’t see that often,”

 Although her cross country career may be over, Cunningham has big plans following her graduation this coming May. 

“I’ll be pursuing a job as an elementary school teacher to start,” she said. “I plan to pursue a master’s degree and become a principal in the future.” 

The women’s cross country team enjoyed unparalleled success in Cunningham’s four years at Waynesburg. Now that she has run her final race in the orange and black, the team will have to adjust to life without one of its strongest leaders. 

“With both her teammates and the coaching staff, she has left her mark on this program,” Hardie said. “We are going to miss her.”