Waynesburg University women’s track & field head coach Michelle Cross knew going into the conference championship that it was going to be a close meet.

What she did not expect however, was a second straight Presidents’ Athletic Conference title.

Going into the meet Waynesburg, was projected to win, but when Cross broke it down she knew it would be close.

“As I was looking at the points and looking at the [returning] talent, we were actually losing by about 10 points to Geneva and we were ahead of Westminster by about 10,” said Cross. “So, I knew it was going to come down to a mix-up of those three teams.”

The championship was brought on by impressive showings by several individuals, including senior distance runner Julie Gerber.

“[Gerber’s] performances were incredible,” said Cross. “She had never gone under 11 minutes in the 3k and that was a blazing fast pace, after she won that I was like ‘I hope she just didn’t wear herself out.’”

Gerber set a new PAC 3,000-meter record with a time of 10:33 and she followed up with a third place finish in the mile and a first place finish in the 5,000-meter, respectively. Her performance was one of many which helped the Yellow Jackets defend their PAC title.

On the track, senior Angie Marchetti claimed the title in the mile run with a time of 5:17. Freshman Becca Volz was able to claim the fourth place spot with a time of 5:30.

Marchetti made the podium again with a third place finish in the 800-meter and

freshman Katherine Fair placed second in the 60-meter hurdles.

In the field portion of the meet, senior Addy Knetzer won the shot put – Knetzer’s toss sailed 12.54 meters. In the jumps freshman Amber Yauch had a productive day. Yauch placed third in long jump with a jump of 4.94 meters (16-2.5) and fifth in triple jump with a jump of 9.95 meters (32-7.75).

For Cross, the win required the whole team stepping up.

“If anyone of them had not risen to the occasion then we would not have won,” said Cross. “Four points is very small swing in a track meet like that.”

Yauch, Fair and Volz were among several underclassmen who were instrumental in the victory.  Cross didn’t set expectations too high for the freshmen class but was impressed by the performances.

“I don’t expect a lot from the freshmen the first year,” said Cross. “If anything, it was for them to learn what this meet means to the team.”

It has been an interesting season for the Yellow Jackets due to turnover from the 2017 graduating class and changes in coaching.

In the short time that Cross has been head coach, she is pleased with the way her team has responded to change.

“We had someone who was leading our team,” said Cross. “When he left it was unexpected but at the same time I don’t think people would have stepped into leadership if he hadn’t left. I have been very impressed with how they have handled it.”

Following up a championship season, the Yellow Jackets will look forward to the spring where they will try to claim their third straight outdoor title. The first meet is scheduled for March 17, at Muskingum.