Josh Schuurman is nearly 650 miles away from home at Wheaton College in Illinois, but that’s OK, the Waynesboro grad is used to flying.
Schuurman, a pole vaulter for the Thunder, is having a breakout season on the indoor track and field scene this winter. He’s already won an invitational and set a PR along the way. All that’s left for Schuurman now is to showcase his talents at this weekend’s conference championships.
In College Corner this month, we’ll take a closer look at the exploits of Schuurman, while also shining the spotlight on 32 other former Waynesboro athletes who are competing at the next level.
In the months to come, College Corner will rotate coverage to Greencastle-Antrim and Chambersburg, before circling back to Waynesboro, once again.
Are we missing any athletes? Please send submissions to Andy Sandrik via email at [email protected].
INDOOR/OUTDOOR TRACK
Josh Schuurman, Junior, Wheaton
Schuurman, a pole vaulter, recently secured the first win of his college career at the Chicagoland Intercollegiate Indoor Invitational on Feb. 14-15. At that meet, he vaulted to victory with a 12-6.75.
He prefaced that victory by landing a PR mark of 12-11.75 for sixth place at the Windy City Rumble on Feb. 1, and with an eighth-place height of 11-11.75 at the Tadd Metzger Invitational on Feb. 7-8.
Schuurman most recently competed at the NCC Slick Invitational on Feb. 21, and vaulted for a 12-3.5 to take eighth place.
Wheaton returns to action on Friday, Feb. 28, at the CCIW Indoor Championships.
Cora Helman, Junior, Shenandoah
Helman has been busy on the indoor circuit, competing in seven meets this winter, mostly in the 3,000.
She kicked off her season on Dec. 8 by running the 3,000 in 12:06.87 at the Holiday Kickoff Open in Winchester, Va.. Helman chipped away at the time on the invitational scene until she broke 12 minutes by running an 11:59.21 at the Winter’s Evening Invite at Widener on Jan. 24-25.
Helman was back in competition on Jan. 31-Feb. 1 for the Bast-Cregger Invitational, and it was here that she nailed down PRs in both the 800 (2:47.48) and mile (6:02.31). Her momentum carried to the VMI Winter Classic on Feb. 8, as she logged the first Top 10 individual finish of her career when she ran the 3,000 in 12:01.65 for ninth place.
Helman most recently competed on Feb. 14-15 at the Widener Indoor Classic on Feb. 15. She clocked a PR time of 11:49.53 in the 3,000 to take 34th place.
Shenandoah opens postseason competition on Friday-Saturday, March 1-2 for the ODAC Championships.
Joel Weber, Junior, Pitt-Johnstown
After a long break from competition after cross country season, Weber returned to action for the Mountain Cats at the Susquehanna University Invite on Feb. 15.
He ran the 800 and placed 49th with a time of 2:21.61.
Pitt-Johnstown travels to Lehigh on Friday-Saturday, March 1-2, for the PSAC Indoor Championships.
Bella Ruefle, Freshman, Millersville
Ruefle has competed in four meets this winter, and in the process established collegiate PRs in the mile and 800.
She kicked off her season on Dec. 6-7 at the Bucknell Bison Open, where she took eighth place in the mile with a PR time of 5:32.67. Ruefle then had the highest placement of her young college career at the Blue & White Invite at Franklin & Marshall on Feb. 8, when she ran the mile in 5:38.78 to take fifth.
Ruefle returned to competition on Feb. 15 at the Susquehanna University Invite and guided Millersville’s 4×400 relay squad to 13th place in 4:40.32, and ran the 800 in 2:29.84 to take 16th.
Ruefle most recently competed at the Penn State Tune-Up on Feb. 21. She clocked a 5:40.29 in the mile to take 21st.
Millersville returns to action on Friday-Saturday, March 1-2, when it travels to Lehigh for the PSAC Indoor Championships.
Noah Bockstie, Freshman, Hagerstown CC
Bockstie has had an opportunity to spread his wings in his first winter of indoor track for Hagerstown.
Bockstie’s competed in three events over five different invitationals this season, starting with the Kaye & JJ Invitational on Jan. 12, a meet that saw him take 27th in the 3,000 in 10:22.38.
Bockstie shaved more than two seconds off that 3,000 time at the River Hawk Invite on Jan. 18, when he ran a PR time 10:20.11 to take 13th. He took on two events a few weeks later, running both the 800 and mile at the Larry Sharpe Memorial Invite on Jan. 31. Bockstie took ninth in the 800 with a PR time of 2:18.95 and clocked a 6:02.55 in the mile to take 12th.
A new PR in the mile awaited Bockstie at the VMI Winter Classic on Feb. 8. He dashed to the finish in 5:02.60 to take 27th.
Bockstie most recently competed at the Rockingham Collegiate Classic on Feb. 21, placing 31st in the mile in 5:10.71.
Hagerstown travels to Texas Tech on March 7-8 for the NJCAA Indoor Championships.
Will Campbell, Freshman, Hagerstown CC
Campbell has been flying all over the track, recording four Top 8 finishes over eight invitationals this winter.
He ran four races in January, with his best effort coming at the Larry Sharpe Memorial Invite on Jan. 31. There, he ran to a fourth-place finish in the mile with a PR time of 4:49.87.
Campbell continued to heat up at the VMI Winter Classic on Feb. 8, running a PR time of 16:30.40 in the 5,000 to take eighth. He then ran his best 3,000 time of the season on Feb. 14-15 at the D1 Pre-National Meet, clocking a 9:31.05 to take 17th.
Campbell most recently competed at the Rockingham Collegiate Classic on Feb. 21. He guided Hagerstown’s distance medley relay team to a third-place finish in 11:16.27, while also completing the mile in 4:53.93 to take 23rd.
Kylie Bere, Sophomore, Muskingum
After competing in three cross country races this fall, Bere is ready to return to competition this spring for Muskingum’s track and field squad.
She owns collegiate PRs in the 1,500 (6:29.77) and mile (7:28.22).
The Fighting Muskies open their season on March 21 at the Washington and Lee Invitational.
Preston Hammond, Freshman, Ursinus
Hammond, a sprinter, has competed in four invitationals this winter.
He kicked off his season on Dec. 6, when he ran to an 11th-place finish in the 60 in 7.52 at the Bow Tie Invitational. Hammond returned to competition at the Collegeville Classic on Jan. 19, and clocked a 7.57 in the 60 to nail down fifth place.
Hammond bumped up to events at the Coach I Invite on Jan. 25. He took 26th in 200 with a PR time of 24.42 and 43rd in the 60 in 7.53. He most recently competed at the Frank Coldren Invitational on Feb. 8, finishing 23rd in the 200 (24.45) and 27th in the 60 (7.52).
Ursinus returns to competition on Saturday at the Centennial Conference Championships.
Joey Jacobs, Sophomore, Mount St. Mary’s
Jacobs, a distance runner, was inactive for Mount St. Mary’s indoor team this winter.
He last competed for the Mount’s outdoor track squad in 2024.
Mount St. Mary’s opens its outdoor season on March 20-22 at Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Samantha Gembe, Junior, Thiel
Gembe, a throwing specialist, has been inactive for Thiel this winter.
The Tomcats return to competition on Thursday, Feb. 27, for the PAC Championships.
BASKETBALL
Jay Alvarez, R-Senior, Rider
Alvarez, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound forward, continues to be a regular in the lineup for Rider.
He’s played in all 28 games for the Broncos, including 27 starts, and in 770 minutes of playing time he’s totaled 296 points (10.6 ppg), including 32 3-pointers, to go along with 127 rebounds (4.5 rpg), 21 assists, 22 steals, and two blocks.
Alvarez exploded for a season-high 28 points in a 73-67 loss to Iona on Jan. 23. He added seven rebounds, two steals, and an assist.
Rider (10-18, 6-11 MAAC) returns to action on Friday, Feb. 28, when it travels for a game at Merrimack.
Tanyon Shaull, Sophomore, Hagerstown CC
Shaull, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound forward, has appeared in 23 of 29 games for Hagerstown this winter, including two starts.
In 196 minutes of playing time, Shaull has totaled 28 points (1.2 ppg), including six 3-pointers, to go along with 22 rebounds (1.0 rpg), 13 assists, seven steals, and two blocks.
Shaull had his biggest game of the winter on Feb. 10 in an 89-56 win over Baltimore City CC, when he recorded a season-high six points and five rebounds, as well as one assist and two steals.
The Hawks (17-12, 11-6 MD Juco) return to action on March 6 against an opponent to be determined at the NJCAA East District DI Tournament.
Becca Cordell, Junior, Wilson
Cordell recently wrapped up a season for Wilson that saw her play in all 26 games.
Cordell, a 5-foot-6 guard, saw 95 minutes on the floor this season and totaled eight points, nine rebounds, and one assist.
She most recently cracked the scoring column on Feb. 8, when she scored two points and pulled down a rebound in a 61-50 victory over Valley Forge.
The Phoenix wrap up their season at 10-16 (9-7 United East).
Ryan Shaffer, Sophomore, McDaniel
Shaffer got nearly an hour of playing time in his second season of college basketball.
Shaffer, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound guard, appeared in 11 games this season and totaled 21 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block. He most recently took the floor on Feb. 12, recording two points and a rebound in a 79-45 loss to Johns Hopkins.
McDaniel wraps up its season at 13-12 (3-10 Centennial Conference).
GOLF
Devin Smith, Senior, Mount Saint Mary’s
It’s going to be tough top a fall season that saw Smith win the Bucknell Invitational and sink a hole-in-one in the process, but Smith is ready to give it a shot this spring.
The Mount kicks off the season on March 13-15 at the Peoples Golf Championship at Sea Palms Resort in St. Simons Island, Ga.
Linkoln Gundacker, Freshman, Geneva
Gundacker will be working for more playing time this spring after competing in one meet last fall.
Geneva kicks off its season on April 25-26 at the PAC Spring Championships.
SWIMMING
Cara Toney, Junior, California (Pa.)
Toney has competed in two meets since our last update: The Pennwest Duals on Jan. 18 and a dual meet vs. Millersville on Jan. 25.
She landed a pair of Top 10 finishes at the Pennwest Duals, taking ninth in both the 100 backstroke (1:12.98) and 100 butterfly (1:12.14).
Toney then nailed down two Top 5 finishes against Millersville, taking third in the 200 butterfly (2:43.32) and fifth in the 200 backstroke (2:34.71).
Toney was inactive for the PSAC Championships on Feb. 17-20.
Sean O’Connor, Senior, Frostburg State
O’Connor wrapped up his senior season with competition at the Great Midwest-Mountain East Conference Championship on Feb. 12-15.
There, he competed in the 200 breaststroke (15th in 2:20.25), 100 breaststroke (20th in 1:02.23), and 200 IM (22nd in 2:05.66).
O’Connor warmed up for the conference championships with a strong showing at the Vulcan Dual Meet Challenge on Jan. 10-11. It was at this event that O’Connor swam to six Top 5 finishes in the 200 freestyle relay (2nd in 1:33.10), 200 breaststroke (3rd in 2:30.21), 200 IM (3rd in 2:13.71), 400 freestyle relay (3rd in 3:31.44), 50 freestyle (4th in 24.25), and 400 medley relay (4th in 4:01.10).
Madelyn Stoops, Freshman, Shippensburg
Stoops has taken on three meets since our last update.
She swam at the Gettysburg Invitational on Dec. 6-7, competing in the 50 freestyle (26.92), 100 backstroke (1:06.57), and 200 backstroke (2:27.61).
Stoops returned to the pool on Jan. 10 for a dual meet against Edinboro, and she swam the 50 freestyle (27.06) and 50 backstroke (31.42).
She concluded her season at the Bucknell Winter Invite on Feb. 1 with competition in the 200 backstroke (21st in 2:24.83), 100 backstroke (31st in 1:05.31), and 100 freestyle (51st in 59.45).
Stoops was inactive for the PSAC Championships on Feb. 17-20.
Brenner McIlquham, Freshman, Mount Saint Mary’s
It was an active first season on the collegiate swimming scene for McIlquham, who earned three Top 3 finishes over the regular season before competing at the conference championships.
McIlquham secured his first podium finish in a dual meet against Messiah on Oct. 12, racing through the 50 freestyle in 22.81 to take second.
He added a third-place finish in a dual meet against Rider on Dec. 16, completing the 200 S freestyle in 2:02.80. McIlquham struck for third place again, this time in a dual meet against Loyola on Jan. 26, when he swam the 200 Y freestyle in 1:46.51.
McIlquham wrapped up his season at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships on Feb. 12-15, competing in the 200 freestyle (24th in 1:44.92), 100 freestyle (31st in 48.03), and 50 freestyle (41st in 21.89).
BASEBALL
Maddox Brooks, Junior, Mount St. Mary’s
After a solid year at Potomac State, Brooks finds himself on the roster for Mount St. Mary’s.
Brooks, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound catcher, played in 42 games for the Catamounts last spring and batted .343 (48 for 140) with 17 doubles, two home runs, 29 runs, 36 RBI, and four stolen bases. He sported a .985 fielding percentage and gunned down five would-be base stealers.
Brooks has been inactive for the Mount through six games this season.
Mount St. Mary’s returns to the diamond on Friday, Feb. 28, with a home game against Indiana.
Garrett Beaver, Junior, Salisbury
Beaver, a trusted right-handed reliever for the Seagulls, kicked off his season with a strong outing in a 10-0 win over Rochester Institute on Feb. 23.
In that game, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Beaver worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and one walk, while striking out four batters.
He’s coming off a sharp sophomore season that saw him make 21 appearances, including three starts, and post a 3-3 record with a 3.00 ERA. In 42 innings of work Beaver allowed 20 runs, 14 earned, on 28 hits and 23 walks, while registering 36 strikeouts.
Salisbury (2-1) returns the diamond on Friday, Feb. 28, with a home game against Valley Forge.
Bryce Shaffer, Senior, York
After bulking up more than 30 pounds in the offseason, Shaffer is back on the mound for his senior season at York.
Shaffer, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound right-handed pitcher, appeared in 11 games last spring, including 10 starts, and posted a 3-4 record with a 6.75 ERA. In 41 1/3 innings of work Shaffer allowed 38 runs, 31 earned, on 50 hits and 19 walks, while striking out 22 batters.
The Spartans are set to open their season on Saturday, March 1, with a doubleheader at Lynchburg.
Dylan Morgan, Sophomore, PSU Mont Alto
Morgan returns for Mont Alto after a freshman season where he proved himself as a reliable run scorer.
He played in 28 games last season and batted .214 (3 for 14) with a double, 16 runs, three RBI, and three stolen bases. Morgan, a 5-foot-9, 120-pound second baseman, also sported a .917 fielding percentage.
Morgan has appeared in both of the Lions games this spring and is 0 for 1 at the plate.
Mont Alto (1-1) returns to the field on Saturday, March 1, with a doubleheader at Apprentice.
Garrett Rosenberry, Sophomore, PSU Mont Alto
Rosenberry, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound utility/right-handed pitcher, is coming off a freshman season that saw him make an impact both at the plate and on the mound.
He appeared in 23 games last season and batted .302 (13 for 43) with a double, 12 runs, and nine RBI, while also sporting an .889 fielding percentage. Rosenberry also pitched 10 innings, recording a 1-0 record with a 5.40 ERA. He allowed seven runs, six earned, on eight hits and nine walks, while striking out eight batters.
Rosenberry recently made his season debut on Feb. 22, rapping out multiple hits in Mont Alto’s 12-11 loss to PSU Brandywine. In that game, he started at third base and went 2 for 5 with a double, triple, run, and RBI.
Brady Bakner, Graduate, Wilson
Bakner, 5-foot-9, 160-pound outfielder/left-handed pitcher, has been inactive through the first two games of the season for Wilson.
Bakner, a Waynesboro native who went to Scotland Campus, is coming off a senior season for the Phoenix that saw him appear in nine games, including one start, and bat .285 (2 for 7) with a home run, two runs, three RBI, and one stolen base.
Wilson (1-1) returns to the field on Saturday, March 1, with a road doubleheader at Marietta College.
Fred Guarino IV, Senior, PSU Altoona
Guarino recently hammered out two home runs in the same game for PSU Altoona.
Guarino, a 6-foot-1 first baseman, took the field for the Lions on Feb. 26 and went 2 for 3 with two homers in a 4-3 loss to Waynesburg.
He’s played in all four games for PSU Altoona this season and is batting .154 (2 for 13).
The Lions (3-1) return to action on March 8 with a home game against SUNY Poly.
SOFTBALL
Haley Eyler, Senior, Bethany
After a junior season of marked improvement, Eyler is back on the field for the Bison for her senior campaign.
Eyler, a 5-foot-6 outfielder, played in all 39 games last season and batted .314 (33 for 105) with 10 doubles, four triples, and a team-high three home runs, to go along with 21 runs, 20 RBI, and one stolen base.
With Eyler on the roster, Bethany will be aiming to improve upon last season, when it went 25-14 (11-9 PAC).
The Bison begin their season on Saturday, March 1, with a home doubleheader against Carlow.
Slaydon Fisher, Sophomore, Albright
Fisher, a 5-foot-7 third baseman, returns to the softball field after a productive first season.
As a freshman last spring, she played in 29 of 37 games, including 27 starts, and batted .256 (20 for 78) with four doubles, six runs, five RBI, and three stolen base. Fisher had multiple hits in five games, and defensively, she posted an .846 fielding percentage.
Albright is aiming to improve upon last season, when it went 7-30 (1-13 MAC Commonwealth).
The Lions kick off their season on March 15 with a doubleheader at York.
Michelle Baker, Sophomore, Chestnut Hill
Baker is back for Chestnut Hill after serving as the Griffins’ No. 1 pitcher last season.
The 5-foot-8 Baker pitched in 18 games, including 16 starts, and had a 2-13 record with a 5.25 ERA. In 93 1/3 innings of work she allowed 100 runs, 70 earned, on 161 hits and 29 walks, while striking out 32 batters.
Baker has already seen two games in the circle this season. She is 0-0 with a 9.19 GPA after working 5 1/3 innings and allowing eight runs, seven earned, on 10 hits and four walks, while striking out three.
Chestnut Hill (0-4) returns to action on Sunday, when it travels to Myrtle Beach, S.C. for the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic.
Cameron Witte, Sophomore, Millersville
Witte, a 5-foot-4 outfielder, recently cranked out the first base hit of her college career.
Competing in a 9-6 win over Chestnut Hill on Feb. 26, Witte went 1 for 1 with a run scored.
Witte, a 5-foot-4 outfielder, has appeared in three of four games for the Marauders, including one start, and is batting .250 (1 for 4) with one run. Defensively, she is sporting a perfect fielding percentage.
Millersville (2-2) returns to the field on Friday, Feb. 28, for a doubleheader at Holy Family.
Trysta Bricker, Sophomore, PSU Mont Alto
Bricker will be competing for an uptick in playing time this season after appearing in 13 games last spring.
Bricker, a 5-foot-5 second baseman/shortstop, batted .300 (6 for 20) with five runs and four RBI. Defensively, she posted a .765 fielding percentage.
Mont Alto is coming off a season where it went 28-10 (15-3 PSUAC).
The Lions open their season on March 10, when they travel to Myrtle Beach, S.C., for the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic.
CHEERLEADING
Cammie Edwards, Senior, RIT
Edwards, who was born in Waynesboro and attended Ramstein American in Germany, enjoyed her senior season of cheer at RIT.
Edwards, who works the Base position, is a Biomedical Sciences Major.
