The Waynesburg University men’s indoor track & field teams brought back former Yellow Jacket and one-time national champion jump coach Luke Payson for the upcoming 2019 season.

Payson, who was a former teammate of head coach Michelle Cross in 2006, is returning for his second term as jump coach, a position in which he holds many PAC records that still stand today.

Payson is not just back in Waynesburg to coach his passion, but he is also a resident director on campus, a certified rehabilitation counselor and mental health counselor for the Waynesburg University student community.

In his first tenure as a Waynesburg coach, he helped many athletes who went on to compete for high PAC honors, and even a national championship in the case of former Yellow Jacket standout Krystal Baker.

Baker was a four-year champion at the conference level, a two-time honoree, an all-American and she competed at the national championship in 2007.

Payson emphasized the importance coaches can have on their athletes’ lives, especially in a sport like track & field.

“Track is such a diverse sport, so many different students, so many different events, you get to really shape a lot of different student’s journeys,” said Payson.

When Payson left Waynesburg in 2011, he headed cross-state to pursue a different path in his life, mixed martial arts (MMA).

In 2011, Payson moved to Philadelphia where he opened, ran and coached in his own MMA gym, Pursuit MMA. Pursuit was a Christian based MMA gym that he opened on the outskirts of the city.

The gym also served as a ministry for those practicing MMA. Students would not only practice at his gym, but they would also study the bible and worship at the non-profit studio. In his five years focusing on the gym, Payson got the opportunity to coach professional and amateur kickboxers and MMA fighters while serving the community and practicing his Christian faith.

Leaving Philadelphia was a tough decision for Payson, but he had no problem returning to coach his primary sport in a community he grew to love over his four years as a student.

“I love where the program is right now, and my favorite part is getting to watch the students grow and develop as people in and out of the classroom,” said Payson.

Payson said that he is excited to build off the recent success the program has had, especially considering the team came up just short in his previous stint on multiple occasions.

“There were a few years in 10’, 11’, and 12’ where we had the talent, but came in second,” Payson said. “I think with what Cross is doing there is a great opportunity to win here at Waynesburg once again.”

Payson will be back in the black and orange coaching jump and pole vault when the Yellow Jackets head down to the Youngstown State Invitational on Feb. 2.