Gwynedd Valley, Pa. – (8/11/2025) – With the first competition of 2025 just over two weeks from today, Gwynedd Mercy University Head Men's and Women's Cross Country Coach
Joe Dyas is pleased to announce the 2025 schedule, "I am really excited to see what is in store for us this fall. I can't wait to see the team again and hit the ground running. This is my first year as the head cross country coach and it is a privilege to be back coaching the sport." He continued, "Our schedule was strategically chosen to see how we fare against the rest of the Metro Region. These meets will give our student-athletes the best chance to not just compete, but thrive." Coach Dyas shifted from the Gwynedd Mercy University head men's and women's track and field coach to the Griffins' cross country frontman during the summer as Director of Athletics,
Keith Mondillo named decorated alumni,
Brendan Soubik '24, '25, to the position.
Under the direction of Head Coach
Catie Jaskowak, the 2024 Gwynedd Mercy University contingent enjoyed runs at Rose Tree Park, Philadelphia's Belmont Plateau, Stockton University, Lorimer Park, DeSales University, Union Canal Tunnel Park, and the Hudson Valley Sportsdome. Unfortunately, neither Griffin side fielded enough participants to score at the 2024 Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships.
Sebastian DeSimone (West Orange, N.J.) headlined the men's success in his junior campaign, while tenured vets,
Hailey Bloom (Margate City, N.J.),
Mikayla Brennan (Bensalem, Pa.),
Maddie Stancil (Lincoln University, Pa.), and
Natalie O'Neill (Philadelphia, Pa.) welcomed the addition of first-year
Ava Ezzie (Drexel Hill, Pa.).
In 2025, Coach Dyas will look to usher in a new chapter of Red and Gold cross country with a fresh docket of events. Gwynedd Mercy University will toe the line for the first starting gun of 2025 on Friday, August 29 (5:00 p.m./5:30 p.m.), when they visit The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) for the Blue/Gold Invitational.
The following Saturday, September 6 (11:00 a.m./12:00 p.m.), the Griffins will visit Lebanon Valley College for the Dutchman Invitational; other than the Hudson Valley Sportsdome, Union Canal Tunnel Park will be the Griffins' only holdover venue from the 2024 season. There, the Red and Gold first earned a fourth-place finish (4th of 5) in the women's six kilometer (6K) with 110 total points, before placed ninth (9th of 10) in the men's eight kilometer (8K) with 262 total points. Bloom placed 20th with a time of 28:25.0, but she was the only Griffin to complete the women's course in under 30 minutes. Meanwhile, DeSimone was the first Griffin across the finish line as he placed 39th (30:12.2) in the men's race.
Gwynedd Mercy University's September concludes with Delaware Valley University's Aggie Open (Sept. 20, 10:00 a.m./11:00 a.m.) and October will send the Griffins to DeSales University's Invitational (Oct. 11, 11:00 a.m./12:00 p.m.) and Rowan University's Border Battle (Oct. 18, 11:00 a.m./12:00 p.m.), before November's championship meets. Gwynedd Mercy University last competed in the Prof's Border Battle in DeSimone's freshman season (2022), when he placed 283
rd with a time of 33:01.4; the men placed 35th of 36 teams with 1,122 points, while the women placed 33rd of 35 team with 1,041 points.
The AEC Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships will return to the Hudson Valley Sportsdome in Milton, New York, for 2025. In 2024 (Nov. 2), Simone placed 18
th in the men's 8K with a time of 30:45.2 and Ezzie placed 30
th in the women's 6K with a time of 33:02.7.
The 2025 NCAA DIII Regional Championships will take place at DREAM Park in Logan Township, New Jersey. DeSimone placed 139th (30:48.0) in the 2024 (Nov. 16) regional, which took place at Stockton University's North Athletics Complex.
The 2025 AEC Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships are scheduled for Saturday, November 1 (11:00 a.m./12:00 p.m.) with the 2025 NCAA DIII Metro Regional Championship to follow on Saturday, November 15 (11:00 a.m./12:00 p.m.).
