Gwynedd Valley, Pa. – (12/10/2025) – Gwynedd Mercy University's 2025 season reached its pinnacle with a fourth place finish (4
th of 6, 101 points) at the Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Women's Cross Country Championship. Freshman
Abigail Flannery (Cinnaminson, N.J.) (8
th, 27:32.6) and sophomore
Ava Ezzie (Drexel Hill, Pa.) (13
th, 29:01.1) were among the 14 student-athletes officially named to the 2025 All-AEC Women's Cross Country Team as both Griffins earned All-AEC Second Team status for their finishes at the championship.
2025 began on Friday, August 29, with a sixth place finish (6
th of 8, 157 points) at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) Blue and Gold Invitational. Flannery paced the Red and Gold contingent on the five-kilometer (5K) course with a collegiate debut of 13:37.4 placing her 24
th in the field. She was complemented by the finishes of Ezzie (35
th, 14:23.0) and fellow freshmen;
Hannah Satalin (Schwenksville, Pa.) (54
th, 16:26.6),
Emmee Belt (Southampton, Pa.) (57
th, 16:58.10), and
Mary Rivas-Leiva (Horsham, Pa.) (64
th, 20:12.30).
The following Saturday, September 6, Gwynedd Mercy University traveled to Lebanon Valley College (LVC) for the Dutchmen Invitational. Flannery's time of 22:11.4 placed her 82
nd in the 6K race and paced the Griffins to a 12
th place finish (12
th of 18, 412 points). Ezzie placed 115
th (23:23.7).
After a week off, the Red and Gold resumed their schedule with an 6K run in Delaware Valley University's Aggie Open (Sept. 20). Gwynedd Mercy University did not earn a team score in the event, but celebrated finishes from Flannery (45
th, 27:38.1), Ezzie (60
th, 28:45.3), Satalin (84
th, 32:49.4), and Rivas-Leiva (91
st, 36:15.1).
The next race was scheduled for October 11 as Gwynedd Mercy University traveled to Center Valley, Pennsylvania for the DeSales University Invitational. The Griffins placed seventh in the field (7
th of 8, 168 points) thanks to a 15
th place time of 25:39.9 from Flannery; her 6K earned her the AEC Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week (Oct. 13) award.
Flannery's best 6K time of her debut season came in the Griffins' next competition; Rowan University's Border Battle (Oct. 18). She completed the Prof's 6K course at DREAM Park with a time of 25:13.1 (194
th).
At the 2025 AEC Women's Cross Country Championship (Nov. 1), Gwynedd Mercy University placed fourth (4
th of 6, 101 points) thanks to all-league finishes from Flannery (8
th, 27:32.6) and Ezzie (13
th, 29:01.1), as well as strong supportive runs Satalin (24
th, 31:29.3), Belt (36
th, 38:40.3), and Rivas-Leiva (37
th, 38:46.9) earning the Griffins a total of 101 points. Marymount University won the conference championship (1st of 6, 28 points) with finishers two through four; Immaculata University provided the individual champion in junior Aubrey Donahue (Sewell, N.J.) who completed the 6K course at the Hudson Valley Sportsdome in 25:03.4.
The 2025 season came to a conclusion on November 15 with a return to DREAM Park for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Metro Regional. With Flannery out, Ezzie stepped up as the lead Griffin; she finished the 6K course over a full minute better than she did in the Border Battle as she place 122
nd with a personal-record time of 26:11.10. It was one of four personal-records for the Griffins, as Satalin crossed in 28:24.4 (150
th), Belt in 34:05.1 (179
th), and Rivas-Leiva in 34:06.4 (180
th).