Women's Cross Country

2021 Season Preview

The 2021 season looks promising with 8 of the 11 members as returners from last year, showing a strong summer of training. The new additions to the team: Kylie Kanaar, Fallon Lavine and Meadow Millett should help the Bobcats make a run at the Region 8 title. Syndey Stoltzfoos and Katerina Dobkowski are back to try to earn All Region Honors for a second consecutive year. The team competes at Apalachee Regional Park three times this season in preparation for the 2022 NJCAA 5k National meet being held at the park.

Program History

PHSC's women's cross country program was created in 2005 and became the first cross country program in the Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA). Since the inaugural season, nine other FCSAA programs have joined this growing sport. Under the direction of head coach, Jacki Wachtel, PHSC consistently ranks nationally in the top twenty-five and has won the NJCAA Region VIII cross country championship four consecutive years (2016-2019).

Cross Country Coaching Staff

Jacqueline Wachtel

Head Coach

wachtej@phsc.edu

727-816-3342

BS, Ohio University
MS, University of South Florida

Jacki Wachtel started the PHSC women’s cross country program in 2005. In fifteen seasons at the helm, Wachtel has led the Bobcats to the national stage, ranking 10th at the 2018 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Cross Country meet held at Garden City Community College in Garden City, KS. In 2016, PHSC won the Inaugural Florida College System Activities Association/National Junior College Athletic Association (FCSAA/NJCAA) Region 8 Women’s Cross Country Championship in Tallahassee. The Region Champions have defended their title for three consecutive years.

Read more about Coach Wachtel

Wachtel has observed two of her runners achieve All-American status; PHSC student athlete Kayla Bratcher earned the honor at the Half Marathon National meet in 2011; Samantha Greenlee became a two-time All American in 2012 and 2013 through her success in the Half Marathon National meet and the 5K NJCAA National Cross Country meet. Olivia D’Angelo earned All American honors at the 2018 5k championships and the half marathon championships. Grace D’Angelo and Quincy Mayer also earned All American Honors at the 2018 half marathon championships.

Wachtel graduated from River Ridge High School in 1997, having achieved high school state championship status for the 3,200 meter (two mile) race in 1995. She continued her running endeavors on a cross-country/track scholarship to Ohio University (OU) where she spent 12 seasons on the cross-country, indoor and outdoor track teams. After earning her bachelor’s in secondary education from OU in 2001, Wachtel returned to the Tampa Bay area and earned her Masters of Science in biostatistics from the University of South Florida.

Prior to signing on as head coach at PHSC, Wachtel spent two years as head coach for the boy’s track team and the boy/girl cross country team at J. W. Mitchell High School in New Port Richey, Fla. From 2002 to 2008, Wachtel was a math instructor at the high school as well. She continues to teach at the high school level at Pasco eSchool in addition to being an adjunct math instructor at PHSC.

She continues to compete in races, most recently taking first place in the 2019 Iron Girl Half Marathon in Clearwater, Fla. She also finished first in the female overall category in the 2019 RAP River Run 10K in New Port Richey, Fla.
Lee Rietsma

Assistant Coach

rietsml@phsc.edu

727-816-3362

Lee grew up in Grand Rapids, MI and now lives in Land O' Lakes. He has been a runner since middle school and competed all 4 years in the High School Cross Country State Championships. Lee is a post collegiate runner and still competes locally and throughout the country in distances 5k – Marathon.

Read more about Coach Rietsma

Lee is in his fifth season as the Assistant Coach for the Bobcats. He received his USA Track & Field Level 1 Coaching Certification in May of 2013 and is currently his education in Health Sciences.

His most memorable accomplishments were finishing 2nd overall in the Space Coast Marathon with a time of 2:44:46. Lee has run 25 marathons including the Boston Marathon 8 times with a best time of 2:47:17. He plans to continue his Boston streak and many more marathons.
Grace D'Angelo

Assistant Coach

2020-2021 Women's Cross Country Team

Women's Cross Country

2021 Season Preview

Program History

Cross Country Coaching Staff

Jacqueline Wachtel

Head Coach

Lee Rietsma

Assistant Coach

Grace D'Angelo

Assistant Coach

Pasco-Hernando State College