Greene athletes excel in the college ranks
Several Greene County athletes have moved on to the college ranks. Here is a roundup of local athletes who fill the ranks of cross country, golf, volleyball, tennis and soccer teams.
Cross country
Saint Francis University (Pa.)
West Greene graduate Rebecca Phillips enters her freshman season as a member of the Red Flash, a Division I program that is a member of the Northeast Conference.
Tulane University
West Greene grad Mikayla Sonneborn was granted a redshirt last spring, missing the track & field season, but returns for her junior season for the Green Wave cross country squad. She had a personal-best time of 18:58.87 in the 5K last year and a PR of 23:02 in the 6K. She finished 66th at the Conference USA Championship with a 5K time of 19:24.91. Sonneborn placed 92nd in the NCAA South Regional with a 6K time of 23:13. A strong student, Sonneborn earned Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll status for the second-consecutive year.
Waynesburg University
Waynesburg Central graduate Eric Brownfield is continuing his career close to home as a member of the Yellow Jackets’ squad.
Women’s volleyball
Waynesburg University
Waynesburg Central graduate Shannon Morgan will look for playing time at middle hitter — a position left vacant with the graduation of Mabel Culp — in her sophomore season. Mt. Carmel alum Casey Hall enters her freshman season as an outside hitter.
Men’s golf
Pitt-Greensburg
Zach Berkstresser, a junior from Jefferson-Morgan, enters his first season for the Bobcats after transferring from Penn State-Behrend.
Men’s soccer
Waynesburg University
Waynesburg Central graduate Nathan Ribar played in five games last season as a sophomore, stopping 20-of-25 shots he faced.
Ribar went 1-0-0 with a double-overtime victory against Saint Vincent College. Fellow Waynesburg alum Ryan Hurd played in three matches and 66 minutes last year as a freshman defender.
(Note: The listing of athletes participating in the aforementioned college sports is not all inclusive. Information on athletes not included can be emailed to the sports department (sportsnuts@hotmail.com or hssports@hotmail.com) or faxed (724-439-7559), preferably through the individual schools sports information department. Updates and features on the athletes will come throughout the fall season.)