Katie Scheetz-Jones enters her 10th year as the head coach of the men's and women's cross country teams during the upcoming 2022 season. Scheetz-Jones was selected by her peers as the NEAC Coach of the Year on the women's side in 2017.
In 2021, the men's team finished fifth out of seven teams at the United East Championship. Patrick O'Donnell, who was the top runner all season for Berks, placed sixth overall and earned United East First Team honors. On the women's side, Berks was sixth out of seven competing schools. Maddie Motze earned second team honors after finishing 12th overall.
The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
In the 2019 season, the men's cross country team placed third in the teams standings in the first three races of the season. They placed fourth out of 10 competing teams at the NEAC Championship. Zach Schucker earned NEAC Second Team honors, while Will Graybill and Tyler Reigner earned third team recognition. On the women's side, Berks finished in fourth place at the Lebanon Valley Invitational and followed that up by placing fourth of nine teams at the NEAC Championship. Michelle Kiss was the NEAC Runner of the Year and earned All-NEAC First Team honors, while Molly Derleth finished on the second team.
In the 2018 season, the men's cross country team place first at the Bryn Athyn Invitational, marking the first time in 12 years that they won a race. The team had a runner-up finish at the Penn State Abington Invitational and placed fourth out of 15 teams at the Lancaster Bible Invite. The men's team placed fifth at the NEAC Championship, led by Peter Vicari who placed 13th and earned All-NEAC Second Team honors. The women's team struggled throughout the season, but senior Mikaela Smith enjoyed a fantastic year. She had two individual championship finishes and placed runner-up twice. Smith finished runner-up at the NEAC Championship to earn All-NEAC First Team honors and help the team to a ninth place finish.
The 2017 women's cross country team enjoyed the finest season in program history after finishing in 1st place out of 11 teams at the NEAC Championship. This was the first time the women have ever finished as the conference champions. In addition, Michelle Kiss was just the second runner in program history to take first place overall and win the NEAC Runner of the Year award. The team had two runners finish on the All-NEAC First Team, one on the second team, and one on the third team. Katie Scheetz-Jones was rewarded for the successful season by being named NEAC Coach of the Year. Overall, the women's squad placed first overall in three events. On the men's side, the Nittany Lions improved on 2016's performance by finishing 5th out of 13 teams. The squad had one runner earn All-NEAC Second Team honors and one runner land on the third team. The team had a second place and third place finish in two of the final three races of the regular season.
The men's team finished in fifth at the Charger Invitational and finished 8th in four events during the 2016 season. One of those 8th place finishes came at the NEAC Championship in the field of 12 participating teams. On the women's side, the team had a pair of fifth place finishes and one sixth place showing. At the NEAC Championship, the women's squad placed 10th out of 12 teams. The team had one member earn All-NEAC Second Team honors.
The men's team finished in third place in four events during the 2015 season. At the NEAC Championship, the Nittany Lions placed 6th in the field of 12 teams. In the conference race, Berks had two runners earn All-NEAC Third Team honors. On the women's side, the Nittany Lions had two third place finishes and one fourth place showing. At the NEAC Championship, Berks placed 7th out of 13 schools and also had two runners earn All-NEAC Third Team honors.
In the 2014 season, the men's cross country team finished in second place in four their six regular-season races. At the NEAC Championship, the Nittany Lions placed 5th out of 11 teams and had two members earn All-NEAC honors. The women placed in third place in three of their six regular-season races. They finished 7th of 11 teams and also had two members on all-conference teams.
In the 2013 season, the men's team finished in fourth place for the second straight year at the North Eastern Athletic Conference Championship. She had one runner earn All-NEAC Second Team honors and two on the third team. The women's squad placed sixth at the conference championship. They had one All-NEAC Second Team and one all-conference third team.
Under Scheetz-Jones guidance, the women's squad set a school-record with its second place finish at the NEAC Championship in 2012. She had two runners earn All-NEAC first team, two on the second team, and one on the third team. Scheetz-Jones also had a runner finish as the NEAC Rookie of the Year.
The women's team placed first at the Penn State Abington Invitational, the first time any cross country team won an invite. Berks had the top three runners in the race and finished with all five in the top eight.
The men's team finished in fourth place at the NEAC Championship, which matches the best finish in school history. The 2012 squad set the record for most men earning a spot on All-Conference teams, with one on the second team and two on the third team.
The Nittany Lions men's team finished 41st at the NCAA Mideast Regional, which is also a school record.
Scheetz-Jones joins the Nittany Lions after several years of coaching at the high school and college level. She began her career as the head coach for cross country and indoor/outdoor track and field coach at Conrad Weiser High School from 1999-2003. Scheetz-Jones most recently was the head cross country coach at Twin Valley High School from 2005-08. Â
At the collegiate level, she assisted the indoor/outdoor track and field teams at Franklin & Marshall College, focusing primarily on distance running, from 2003-06.
She competed at Division I Coastal Carolina University (1991-93) and at Division II Kutztown University (1994-95) in cross country and indoor/outdoor track and field. Scheetz-Jones maintains her involvement in the running world, competing in road races, trail races, marathons and triathlons.
Scheetz-Jones works at Reading High School as a Learning Support 11th grade English Teacher. She graduated from Kutztown University with a BA in Sociology and Psychology in addition to a Special Education Teaching Degree from DeSales University. She earned an MED in Sports Management and Coaching from Millersville University and received her Principal Certification from Alvernia University.
She is married to Tyler Jones, with two dogs (Chewie and Landslide). Scheetz-Jones is part of the Animal Rescue League Foster Program, which takes in sick and elderly dogs until someone wants to adopt them. In her free time, she enjoys traveling the world, outdoor activities such as mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing and running.
