Collegeville, Pa. - (12/7/2024) - The Gwynedd Mercy University men's and women's track and field teams opened their 2024-2025 indoor season schedule today as they traveled to Ursinus College for the Bears' Bow Tie Invitational. There, the Red and Gold shined in the sprints as seniors Victor Cruz (New Castle, Del.) and Branden Soubik (Lansdale, Pa.) respectively placed second (2nd, 23.00) and fourth (4th, 23.35) in the men's 200-Meter. Their impressive results were outdone by freshman Fanta Dukuly (Philadelphia, Pa.), who ran second (2nd, 8.29) in the women's 60-Meter and fourth (4th, 28.49) in the 200-Meter. The Griffins also placed high in the men's and women's 400-Meter sprints; Cruz won the former with a time of 51.47 (1st), while freshman Ava Ezzie (Drexel Hill, Pa.) and graduate Natalie O'Neill (Philadelphia, Pa.) respectively placed third (3rd, 1:06.91) and fourth (4th, 1:07.30) in the latter. The Red and Gold also had some strong performances in the jumps; freshman Jackson Stein (Palmerton, Pa.) placed fourth (4th, 3.2) in the men's Pole Vault and freshman Jamar Gauda (Delran, N.J.) tied for fifth (T5th, 1.55) in the men's High Jump, while O'Neill tied for fifth (5th, 1.30) and sophomore Izzy LaPerry (Beachwood, N.J.) threw third (3rd, 2.15) in the women's Pole Vault. 

Griffin Finishes

• MEN
  • 200-Meter
    • 2nd (23.00) - Cruz
    • 4th (23.35) - Soubik
    • 16th (24.76) - Gauda
  • 400-Meter
    • 1st (51:47) - Cruz
    • 22nd (59.06) - Gauda
  • 5,000-Meter
    • 25th (17:36.68) - DeSimone
  • ​​​​​​​High Jump
    • T5th (1.55) - Gauda
  • ​​​​​​​Pole Vault
    • 4th (3.2) - Stein
  • ​​​​​​​Shot Put
    • 13th (10.69) - Scheitrum
  • ​​​​​​​Weight
    • 11th (10.97) - Scheitrum
• WOMEN
  • 60-Meter
    • 2nd (8.29) - Dukuly
  • ​​​​​​​200-Meter
    • 4th (28.49) - Dukuly
    • 19th (30.28) - O'Neill
    • 20th (31.02) - McFarland
    • 21st (31.35) - Stancil
  • ​​​​​​​400-Meter
    • 3rd (1:06.91) - Ezzie
    • 4th (1:07.30) - O'Neill
  • ​​​​​​​800-Meter
    • 19th (3:00.91) - Brennan​​​​​​​
  • High Jump
    • T5th (1.30) - O'Neill
    • 10th (1.20) - McCluskey
  • ​​​​​​​Pole Vault
    • 3rd (2.15) - LaPerry
  • ​​​​​​​Shot Put
    • 17th (7.42) - Papadopoulos

Gwynedd Mercy University competes next in the New Year as they return to Ursinus College on January 18 for the Collegeville Classic. Events are scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m.