After being picked to finish seventh in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) preseason poll, the Yellow Jackets finished in third place at the conclusion of the regular season, won a PAC playoff game and put together a 21-9 overall record. The highlight of the season, however, came with the Jackets beating Catholic University to win the ECAC South title, the first such achievement in school history.

With four starters and several other key returners back, fourth-year head coach Sam Jones expects another successful season out of his team. This year's Jackets are led by senior point guard Hannah Hunter, who was named second-team All-PAC in 2011 after averaging 12.7 points, tops amongst returners, 5.0 rebounds and a team-high 4.4 assists per game.

After transferring to Waynesburg for the spring semester, current junior guard Jessi Drayer began her Yellow Jacket career as the first woman off the bench. However, Jones eventually moved her into the starting lineup and Drayer became one of the team's top players. Over 23 games, including 12 starts, the Waterford, Ohio native averaged 10.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and a team-high 2.6 steals per game.

As if Hunter and Drayer weren't enough, Waynesburg also returns junior guard Brittany Spencer to the backcourt after a breakout sophomore season that saw her earn honorable mention All-PAC laurels. The Baltimore native started all 30 games for the Jackets and averaged 10.9 points, 7.3 rebounds (tops amongst returners) and 1.7 assists per game. Spencer showed flashes of being a top-notch scorer last winter by recording the team's top single-game point output with 30 at Hiram.

While not as prolific a scorer as the other returning starters, junior Paige Pearce, who started all 29 games in which she appeared, averaged 4.9 rebounds per game and brought added toughness to the starting five. She also averaged 5.1 points per game and recorded 21 blocks and 23 steals.

Along with the majority of the starting five coming back, the Jackets also bring back experienced bench players in junior Emilee Wagner, who was also a starter at the beginning of the 2010-11 season, sophomore Elaine Hasek (29 games played) and sophomore Emily Miller.

Jones also recruited a group of five freshmen (three guards, two forwards) to help fill out his depth chart. Waynesburg opens the 2011-12 season on Nov. 16, with a road game at Franciscan.