Gwynedd Valley, Pa. – (12/5/2025) – Gwynedd Mercy University's first season under the leadership of Head Coach Amber Medycki saw the Griffins celebrate career milestones and program records while battling for an 8-16 overall record and a 3-4 finish in the Atlantic East Conference (AEC). The league standing failed to qualify the Red and Gold for postseason play, but junior outside hitter Kate Etter (Chambersburg, Pa.) (1^st Team) and senior middle hitter Charlotte Pugh (Philadelphia, Pa.) (2^nd Team) were recognized on the All-AEC Team. Etter was Gwynedd Mercy University's points leader with the league's second best kill total (2^nd, 297) and seventh best point total (7^th, 340.0 points), while Pugh ranked among the AEC Top-10 in both digs (8^th, 307) and kills (9^th, 271).
 
Gwynedd Mercy University's 2025 schedule began with the Cedar Crest College Tri-Match (Aug. 30) and started out on the right foot with wins over Delaware Valley University (W, 3-0; 25-21, 25-20, 25-23) and the host Falcons (W, 3-0; 25-22, 25-16, 25-22). Senior setter Ayanna Gaston (Middletown, Del.) was impressive in both victories, garnering a spot of the first AEC Women's Volleyball Weekly Honor Roll (Sept. 4) of the season after totaling 10.0 points (3 kills, 6 aces, 2 block assists), 19 assists, and five digs against the Aggies, and one kill, 35 assists, five aces, two solo blocks, and 11 digs against the Falcons. She finished the week with 18.0 points, 54 assists, and 16 digs.
 
The Red and Gold played their next three matches at home, winning the second of the set with a 3-2 (25-15, 21-25, 33-31, 23-25, 15-9) triumph over Penn State Abington (Sept. 4). The Griffins and Nittany Lions split the first four sets with the home team taking the first (25-15) and third (33-31) and the visitors evening the affair with wins in the second (25-21) and fourth (25-23). In the deciding set, Gaston and Etter got the Griffins off to a good start and a brilliant finish as the duo combined four times in the breakaway win; 15-9. Etter finished with 20 kills on a .286 (20K-6E-49TA) hitting percentage, while also recording an assist and five digs. Gaston was good for 45 assists in addition to four kills, two aces, three block assists, and 13 digs. The duo was recognized for their efforts with AEC Women's Volleyball Weekly Honor Roll (Sept. 9) appearances.

Unfortunately, Gwynedd Mercy University went the rest of September without another win as the September-11 loss to Alvernia University (L, 1-3; 25-23, 23-25, 22-25, 23-25) was followed by shortcomings at Penn State Brandywine (1-3; 17-25, 25-23, 15-25, 23-25 on Sept. 17), versus the Wentworth Institute of Technology (L, 0-3; 18-25, 22-25, 19-25 on Sept. 19), at Cairn University (L, 0-3; 23-25, 22-25, 21-25 on Sept. 25), and in both matches of a home tri-match with Ursinus College (L, 0-3; 18-25, 21-25, 16-25) and Arcadia University (L, 1-3; 20-25, 23-25, 25-22, 20-25). The stretch was highlighted by an AEC Women's Volleyball Weekly Honor Roll (Sept. 16) appearance for Pugh, who recorded with 13.0 points (10 kills, 2 solo blocks, 2 block assists), five assists, and nine digs against the Golden Wolves.  
 
Gwynedd Mercy University's next victory came with another five-set marathon as the Griffins edged Albright College (Oct. 2) by 25-23 scores in the first and fourth sets, then retired the Lions with a 15-9 win in the fifth. Etter (18 kills, 12 digs), Pugh (14, 16), and sophomore pin hitter Annalise Kuppel (Estell Manor, N.J.) (12, 14) all recorded double-doubles in kills and digs, while Gaston directed the attack with 42 assists and seven digs. Etter was recognized out of the group with her second AEC Women's Volleyball Weekly Honor Roll (Oct. 6) appearance of the season.
 
Her third came just a week later (Oct. 13) as she totaled 46.0 points in a 1-2 week versus Rutgers-Camden (L, 2-3; 25-21, 26-24, 27-29, 11-25, 14-16 on Oct. 9), Marywood University (L, 0-3; 22-25, 14-25, 17-25), and Rutgers-Newark (W, 3-1; 26-24, 25-15, 18-25, 25-17 on Oct. 11). Etter was stellar in each case, totaling 17.5 points (11 kills, 4 aces, 2 solo blocks, 1 block assist) against the first pride of Nittany Lions, 13.0 points (13 kills), and 15.5 points (15 kills, 1 block assist) versus the second pride of Nittany Lions. The week was also highlighted by Pugh's 1,000 career dig; she surpassed the 1,000-dig plateau with her sixth dig of a 13-dig effort versus the Pacers.
 
Regrettably, like September, the Griffins struggled in the second half of October with consecutive losses to Widener University (L, 1-3; 20-25, 26-24, 14-25, 16-25 on Oct. 16), Centenary University (N.J.) (L, 2-3; 25-17, 23-25, 22-25, 25-17, 9-15 on Oct. 17), Lancaster Bible College (L, 0-3; 10-25, 17-25, 20-25 on Oct. 22), Neumann University (L, 2-3; 16-25, 27-25, 22-25, 25-21, 11-15 on Oct. 25), King's College (Pa.) (L, 2-3; 15-25, 25-21, 26-24, 20-25, 4-15 on Oct. 25), and Marymount University (L, 1-3 (19-25, 25-20, 17-25, 22-25). The stretch did end with a silver lining as Gaston earned her third AEC Women's Volleyball Weekly Honor Roll (Oct. 27) appearance and Gwynedd Mercy University marked the Saints' first set loss to a league rival with a 25-20 victory in the second set of the October-29 match.
 
The final four matches of the 2025 season included league wins over Saint Elizabeth University (W, 3-1; 25-21, 26-24, 12-25, 25-15 on Nov. 1), Pratt Institute (W, 3-0; 25-23, 25-20, 25-19 on Nov. 5), and Immaculata University (W, 3-0; 25-6, 25-14, 25-21 on Nov. 8), but the late rally was not enough to earn the Griffins a postseason bid. Pugh and Gaston put the exclamation points on the final week of their collegiate careers as the Griffin captains were named to the final AEC Women's Volleyball Weekly Report (Nov. 10) of the season. The former was named the Player of the Week with 46 kills on a .208 (46K-20E-125TA) hitting percentage, three assists, four aces, two block assists, and 34 digs, while the latter made her fourth Weekly Honor Roll appearance with 96 assists and five aces en route to program records in both categories.

Gaston achieved both milestones in the season finale with Immaculata University; stacking up 10 assists in the first frame to surpass Kandace Pickeral '08 (2,622 assists (308 sets)) for the Griffins' all-time assists mark and scoring the only ace she needed in the third set to surpass Hillary Tubbs '06 (190 aces (365 sets)) for the program's all-time service mark. Gaston's 29 assists against the Mighty Macs left her career total – and new Red and Gold record - at 2,644.
 
Gaston finished the season with 112.0 points (53 kills, 45 aces, 4 solo blocks, 20 block assists), 629 assists, and 160 digs; she ranked third in the AEC for assists. Etter ranked among the AEC Top-10 in both kills (2^nd, 297) and points (7^th, 340.0 points), while also tying for ninth in hitting percentage (T9^th, .178; 297K-144E-886TA). She finished the season with 340.0 points (297 kills, 29 aces, 22 block assists, 3 solo blocks), 19 assists, and 217 digs. Pugh's 301.0 points and 271 kills both served as career-highs.
 
Hastings finished her sophomore campaign with 170.0 points (129 kills, 10 aces, 12 solo blocks, and 38 block assists), while Kuppel totaled 99.0 points (74 kills, 21 aces, 3 solo blocks, 2 block assists) and 222 digs. The latter was one of several Griffins who found success on the serve as she (21 aces), sophomore defensive specialist Marley Robbins (Medford, N.J.) (36), and freshman defensive specialist P.J. Mendoza (Kennett Square, Pa.) (29), all joined Gaston (45) and Etter (29) for 20-plus successful serves.