Newsroom

Black Bear Student-Athlete Chase Brenneman Signs With Saint Francis University

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College sophomore Chase Brenneman has signed a letter of intent to join the Cross Country team at Saint Francis University in Loretto, PA.

Chase Brenneman, Black Bear Cross Country Runner

Brenneman (Somerset, PA) became the first athlete in Penn Highlands history to sign with a Division I program.

“I have enjoyed my time at Penn Highlands,” Brenneman stated. “It has made me a more well-rounded student-athlete, which I feel has prepared me to transfer to Saint Francis. I am very excited to see how I can improve at the next level.”

This past fall, Brenneman placed within the Top 10 in five of the six meets he competed in. This includes a fourth-place mark in the season opener and three consecutive runner-up finishes before winning the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (WPCC) Individual Championship on October 28, 2023.

Brenneman then placed 23rd out of 126 total runners at the NJCAA Division III Cross Country Championships in Huntsville, Alabama on November 11, 2023. He posted a time of 28:24.50, breaking the school record previously held by Andrew Straka (28:41.01) for the lowest time at the NJCAA meet. Brenneman also recorded the highest individual finish for a Penn Highlands student-athlete at a national event.

“I am very proud of Chase. He is a very dedicated, hard-working, and determined runner,” stated Adrianne Kuhar, Penn Highlands Black Bears Cross Country Coach. “I think he will excel at Saint Francis University. He has been a great asset to the team and a great runner to coach.”