Penn Charter’s Mellor to share coaching duties

Rick Mellor, the boss of Penn Charter's baseball team for the last 32 years, will share head-coaching duties for one season before stepping down.

On Wednesday, Quakers athletic director Paul Butler announced the hiring of Jon Cross, an assistant at the University of Penn the last four seasons, as co-head coach.

"The arrangement will allow for Rick to coach for one more year and give Jon the chance to adjust to coaching at Penn Charter," Butler said. "We expect that Jon will take over the program after next season."

Cross, of Ambler, was an assistant at Germantown Academy, his alma mater, from 1994 to '96 and again from 2002 to '07. He coached Cedarbrook, of the Lower Montco American Legion Baseball League, from 1992 to '94.

"I'm coming in to help the student-athletes at Penn Charter become champions on the field, in the classroom, and in life," he said.

In his nine seasons at Germantown Academy, Cross, 40, helped the Patriots claim four Inter-Ac League titles.

At Penn Charter, Mellor has compiled a 451-198 overall record (.695 winning percentage) and 216-124 mark, with 12 league championships, in the Inter-Ac. He will remain as a health and physical education teacher and varsity football assistant.

"Rick has been a great coach for many years," Cross said. "I look forward to working with him."

Contact staff writer Rick O'Brien at 610-313-8019, robrien@phillynews.com, or @ozoneinq on Twitter.