Feb 15, 2013 2 min read

Sparked by four individual champions, Waynesburg University’s wrestling program captured the team title at the 54th annual Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championships Friday at Thiel College’s Beeghly Gymnasium.

The Yellow Jackets totaled 116 points and were followed by 2012 conference champion Thiel with 106 points and Washington & Jefferson with 67 points.

Waynesburg junior Anthony Bonaventura was named Outstanding Wrestler after his 174-pound championship round 7-6 decision over Thiel sophomore Jerrold Roosa locked up the team title for the Yellow Jackets.

Waynesburg senior Alex Crown cruised to his fourth individual PAC title with his 5-2 decision over W&J freshman Bryant Myers at 133 pounds. Crown had won his previous three championships at the 125 pound weight class.

Waynesburg’s Ron Headlee was named the PAC Coach of the Year. Waynesburg captured PAC team titles in 2010 and 2011.

W&J had two champions: junior 157-pounder Josh Etzel and freshman 125-pounder Jacob Spearman.

Etzel, who claimed the 141-pound conference title last year, becomes the 24th wrestler in W&J history to win a pair of conference championships. He also raised his record to 30-3 this winter to become only the sixth W&J wrestler to win 30 matches in a single season. Spearman is the first W&J freshman to win a conference title since Shaun Yackey claimed the 149-pound crown in 2007.