Both the Waynesburg University’s baseball and softball teams are coming off of Presidents’ Athletic Conference Playoff appearances, but both teams are now going into the new year with new head coaches. 

Softball has hired Chris Brunson, who has 20 years of coaching experience at the college and high school level according to the Waynesburg University Athletics website. 

“It is an adjustment back to college for sure,” Brunson said. “College coaching is more of a lifestyle than high school. In high school, we shared many of our athletes between sports, so it was very limited in what we can do in the offseason.” 

Being able to coach at the collegiate level for Brunson is more than a job, it’s a dream. 

“When I was a young coach/man, I had a great job at California University of PA. I don’t think I fully appreciated what I had,” he said. “As I got older and had my own children, there was a decision that had to be made. Was I going to be with mine or someone else’s?” 

He chose his own, and his return to coaching at the collegiate level he attributes to God. 

“God brought me back two days shy of 10 years. The life lessons that I have learned, I believe this is the perfect time for me.” 

The softball team’s previous head coach Brett Shimek, who was at Waynesburg for six years, led the Yellow Jackets to three PAC Championship games, its first two PAC Championships and two NCAA DIII Regional appearances. 

“Brett and Matt have really built this program into something special. We all have been friends for a very long time, and there are outstanding young people that make up this program,” Brunson said. “We want to continue to bring these young ladies that fit the mission of the University and have the passion for softball and a passion for the preparation to become the best versions of themselves as players and as people.”  

Athletic Director Tim Fusina thought Brunson was the right fit for Waynesburg due to all that he brings to the table. 

“Coach Brunson was an ideal candidate for us because of his knowledge of local recruiting, and his connections to the region and his overall experience in softball,” Fusina said.

The softball team lost three seniors last season, including Ella Brookman, who is the all-time leader in hits, RBI, doubles, triples and walks in Waynesburg softball history. 

However, senior pitcher Sydney Wilson will be making her return. Last season, Wilson had pitched a 2.18 ERA in 134.2 innings. 

The baseball team, as of Wednesday night, have found their new head coach in Michael Impellittiere from Hood College.

According to his Hood College coaching profile found on the institution’s athletic website, Impellittiere was the head coach of Hood for the past seven seasons, going 129-112-1 overall, including a 61-64 Middle Atlantic States Conference record in that span. In 2018, he set the school record for most wins in a single season for baseball with 32 while notching four playoff appearances, one MAC Championship appearance and was a one time MAC regular season co-champion. 

Before Hood, Impellittiere was the assistant baseball coach at the State University of New York at New Paltz and head baseball coach for the Front Royal Cardinals in the Valley Baseball League during the summer of 2021 according to his bio. 

The baseball team is moving on from Perry Cunningham. Cunningham was at Waynesburg for three seasons, finishing with a 51-68 overall record and 34-33 PAC record. He also led the Yellow Jackets to a second place finish in the Presidents Athletic Conference last year in the regular season