Chris Weakley to also lead Pennsylvania Highlands women's basketball program

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Following two successful years at the helm of the men’s basketball team, Chris Weakley has been hired as Pennsylvania Highlands Community College’s women’s basketball coach.

Weakley will lead the women’s basketball program into its first season of competition in more than 25 years. The program previously competed as an official National Junior College Athletic Association-sanctioned sport from 1998-2000, when the team was known as the Cambria County Area Community College Shawnee Cardinals.

“I’m very excited,” Weakley said. “For the success we’ve had on the men’s side over the last two years, I believe that we’re going to bring some ladies in that can do the same thing and be successful. I don’t think we’re going to have to worry about waiting to win. We’re going to fit right in.”

Weakley has guided the men’s basketball team to back-to-back Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference/Region 20 championships. In two years, the Black Bears have tallied six all-conference and six all-region selections, along with a Region 20 Division III player of the month honor and an NJCAA Division III national player of the week award.

Penn Highlands’ Region 20 title in 2024-25 was the first in program history.

The Black Bears also collected their third and fourth conference championships overall, while compiling a 31-29 record over the past two seasons at the Richland Township campus.

With his extensive basketball experience, which includes playing and coaching overseas in China, Japan, Brazil, Australia and throughout Europe as well as in the United States, Weakley said he looks forward to leading two programs.

“It should be a very smooth transition,” Weakley said.

“We’ll come in the summer, get everybody working together and get stronger. We’ll get both the men and the women accustomed to practicing and playing at different times.

“That’s all I do is coach basketball, so I’m definitely looking forward to it.”

Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams will compete at the Division II level of the NJCAA beginning with the 2026-27 seasons. The Black Bears played at the NJCAA Division III level prior.