Waynesburg Yellow Jackets football

Waynesburg Yellow Jackets football
First season1895 (1895)
Head coachCornelius Coleman
4th season, 10–20 (.333)
StadiumJohn F. Wiley Stadium
(capacity: 4,000)
LocationWaynesburg, Pennsylvania
NCAA divisionDivision III
ConferencePresidents' Athletic Conference
All-time record415–390–38 (.515)
Claimed national titles1
Conference titles10
RivalriesWashington & Jefferson
ColorsOrange and black[1]
   
Websitewaynesburgsports.com

The Waynesburg Yellow Jackets football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the Waynesburg University located in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. The team competes in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as a member of the Presidents' Athletic Conference.[2] [3] The school's first football team was fielded in 1895. The team plays its home games at the 4,000 seat John F. Wiley Stadium. Cornelius Coleman was hired as the Head Football Coach in December, 2021.[4]

History

Early history

The first game in school history was played against a club team from West Virginia University, in which the Yellow Jackets won 10-0. On December 4, 1895, the first home game in school history was played at Greene County Fair Grounds. The game was described as a "a pig-fight in a hog-wallow."[5]

After resuming play in 1921 following a four-year hiatus due to World War I, coach Frank N. Wolf recorded his first victory, ultimately becoming the school's all-time winningest coach, compiling a record of 65–63–10.[6][7] Waynesburg captured its first Tri-State Conference title in 1924 and went on to win additional titles in 1932 and 1934 before leaving the conference in 1937.[8]In 1939, the team played a pivotal role in television history by participating in the first televised football game, the 1939 Waynesburg vs. Fordham football game, during which Waynesburg’s Bobby Brooks scored the first-ever televised touchdown.[9] The program resumed again after World War II in 1946 and continued to grow, joining the NAIA’s West Penn Conference in 1958. The 1960s saw success, highlighted by a perfect 11-0 season in 1966 that culminated in an NAIA National Championship under the direction of head coach Carl DePasqua.[10]

1960 - 1980

Waynesburg enjoyed unparalled success during the 1960s and 1970s. The pinnacle being the 1966 NAIA football season. The 1966 season culminated in the 1966 NAIA Championship Bowl, played in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[11] Waynesburg defeated Whitewater State in the Championship Bowl, 42–21, to win their first NAIA national title.[12]

1980 - 2000

Through the 1980s and 1990s, Waynesburg achieved several milestones, including its 300th victory in 1983.[13] The 1983 team was populated by NAIA All-American running back Otto Birkhead, team MVP Kevin Jozwiakowski, and veteran defensive back Steven Burchianti, whom the Indiana Inquirer described as "the best of the group."[14] [15] [16] The signature win of the 1983 season was a 23-6 victory over the Duquesne Dukes, highlighted by Burchianti’s standout performance with a fumble recovery and two interceptions.[17]

The team joined the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) in 1990 and captured its first PAC title in 1998.[18] Major facility upgrades occurred in the late 1990s, including the construction of a new field house honoring Frank N. Wolf and the 4,000-seat John F. "Jack" Wiley Stadium.[19]

21st century

The early 2000s marked a period of record-breaking performances, with quarterback Jeff Dumm setting multiple school records and leading the team to its first NCAA Division III Playoff appearance in 2003.[20] Subsequent years featured more postseason appearances and individual accolades, including running back Robert Heller’s NCAA freshman rushing record and defensive end Mike Czerwien’s all-division NCAA career sacks record.[21]

The Yellow Jackets have maintained numerous rivalries with their western Pennsylvania counterparts, namely Geneva Golden Tornadoes football and the Washington & Jefferson Presidents.

Head coaches

Main article: List of Waynesburg Yellow Jackets head football coaches

The team has had 21 head coaches since its first recorded football game in 1895. The current coach is Cornelius Coleman who first took the position for the 2022 season.[22]

Tenure Coach Record Win %
1895 Thomas D. Whittles 3–0 1.000
1896–1900, 1902–1916 Red Roberts 37–48–5 .439
1923 Col. Brown 3–4–1 .438
1924 Brit Patterson 7–2–1 .750
1921–1922, 1928–1941 Frank N. Wolf 65–63–1 .508
1925–1927 Dr. Roy E. Easterday 9–13–4 .423
1942 Mark L. Booth 2–6–0 .250
1946 Asa G. Wiley 0–7–1 .063
1947–1950 J. Stanton Keck 17–15–3 .529
1951–1954 John F. Wiley 22–9–1 .703
1955–1958 John Popovich 12–16–4 .438
1959–1962 Peter Mazzaferro 12–19–3 .397
1963–1965 Michael Scarry 17–8–1 .673
1966–1967 Carl DePasqua 19–1–0 .950
1968–1972 Darrell Lewis 20–25–0 .444
1973–1982 Hayden Buckley 52–32–3 .615
1983–1986 William Tornabene 16–21–1 .434
1987–1993 Ty Clarke 28–39–0 .418
1994–2000 Dan Baranik 32–32–0 .500
2001–2004 Jeff Hand 24–17–0 .585
2005–2022 Rick Shepas 69–55–0 .542
2017–2021 Chris Smithley 9–36–0 .200
2022–Present Dr. Cornelius Coleman 10–20–0 .333

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National championships

Association Year Runner-up Score
NAIA 1966 Whitewater State 42–21

Conference affiliation

References

  1. ^ "Sports Information Downloads". Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  2. ^ "NCAA Members by Division". web1.ncaa.org. Archived from the original on July 14, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  3. ^ "Presidents' Athletic Conference". www.pacathletics.org. Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  4. ^ "100 Years and Still Buzzin'". www.waynesburgsports.com. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
  5. ^ "From "Pig Fight" to ..." www.waynesburgsports.com. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
  6. ^ "Waynesburg's Baranik leaving for West Point". USA Today. June 26, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  7. ^ "Waynesberg College Football Media Guide". Sidearm DMG. p. 79. Archived from the original on April 3, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
  8. ^ "100 Years and Still Buzzin'". www.waynesburgsports.com. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
  9. ^ "First televised football game, Waynesberg vs Fordham, 1939". American Sportscasters Online. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  10. ^ Waynesburg University to honor 1966 national championship football team George Von Benko (Herald-Standard). October 3, 2016
  11. ^ "1966 NAIA Football Playoffs". JonFMorse.com. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  12. ^ "NAIA Championship History" (PDF). NAIA. pp. 4–11. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  13. ^ "100 Years and Still Buzzin'". www.waynesburgsports.com. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
  14. ^ Chaump's Forces Face Challenge of 10 Opponents Jed Weisberger (Indiana Gazette). September 2, 1982
  15. ^ 'Underdog' IUP, Chaump debut Saturday Jed Weisberger (Indiana Gazette). September 10, 1982
  16. ^ Has Hard Work Paid off for Chaump, Braves? Jed Weisberger (Indiana Gazette). September 9, 1983
  17. ^ Big Defensive Plays Spur Jacket Win Over Dukes Chris Bates (Democrat Messenger). October 3, 1983
  18. ^ "100 Years and Still Buzzin'". www.waynesburgsports.com. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
  19. ^ John F. Wiley Stadium Grace Zablosky (Clio). April 13, 2021
  20. ^ Dumm plays smart at California University Bruce Wald (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review). August 22, 2004
  21. ^ Heller returns to Ringgold as head football coach Chris Dugan (Observer-Reporter). January 19, 2024
  22. ^ "Waynesburg College Football Media Guide". Sidearm DMG. p. 79. Archived from the original on April 3, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2011.

Sources

  • Dusenberry, William (1975). The Waynesburg College Story 1849-1974. The Kent State University Press. ISBN 978-0873381734.
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