Gwynedd Valley, Pa. – (9/1/2026) – "I'm really excited about our women's roster this year," opened Gwynedd Mercy University Head Women's Cross Country Coach Joe Dyas. "We are returning our whole team from last season and our additions will make us one of the deepest teams in the conference. I really feel like we have a chance to do something special with this group. They all work very hard and they love being around each other, and it shows in our success."
 
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.) (8th, 27:32.6) and sophomore Ava Ezzie (Drexel Hill, Pa.) (13th, 29:01.1) were among the 14 student-athletes officially named to the All-AEC Women's Cross Country Team for their finishes at the championship.
 
"Abby and Ava will be threats for the individual title at the AEC Championship," celebrated Coach Dyas. "But, I also see others who set the pace. Hannah (Satalin) showed tremendous improvement over the course of her freshman season and I feel she is someone who could be an All-AEC performer. Our course, Emmee (Belt) and Mary (Livas-Reiva) are now in their second season of cross country as well. They are key to our momentum too." Flannery was Gwynedd Mercy University top finisher in every race of her debut season, from a two-meter personal-record of 13:37.4 at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) Blue and Gold Invitational (Aug. 29), to a five-kilometer (5K) personal-record of 22:11.4 at Lebanon Valley College's Dutchmen Invitational (Sept. 6), and a 6K personal-record of 25:13.1 at Rowan University's Border Battle (Oct. 18). She was named the AEC Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week on October 13 after pacing Gwynedd Mercy University to a seventh-place finish (7^th of 8, 168 points) in the DeSales University Invitational (Oct. 11) with her 15th-place time of 25:39.9 and she earned All-AEC Second Team honors with her eighth-place time of 27:32.6. Meanwhile, Ezzie enjoyed a four-minute improvement on her time at the Hudson Valley Sportsdome as her 29:01.1 (13^th) time at the 2025 AEC Women's Cross Country Championship (Nov. 1) ranked her 17 places higher than her 2024 time of 33:02.7 (30th) and garnered her All-AEC Second Team recognition. Sophomore Hannah Satalin (Schwenksville, Pa.) toed the line in all seven events. Among her finishes, she placed 54^th on the two-meter course at the TCNJ Blue and Gold Invitational (Aug. 29) with a time of 16:26.6, 153^rd on the 5K course at Lebanon Valley College's Dutchmen Invitational (Sept. 6) with a time of 27:05.7, and celebrated her best 6K finish – along with Belt (179^th, 34:05.1) and Rivas-Leiva (180^th, 34:06.4) - at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Metro Regional (Nov. 15) with a time of 28:24.4 (150^th).
 
Speaking to his team's depth, Coach Dyas highlighted some of his new recruits "Izzy (Bofinger), Olivia (Taylor), and Gabby (Rossi) are joining the cross country team after great debut track and field seasons, and we have three freshmen that I'm really excited about. Hailee (Dicks) and Cara (Mott) are in great running shape following brilliant high school careers and Evelyn (Yun) has impressed in preseason workouts. She has shown Top-5 potential." Sophomores, Izzy Bofinger (Mount Holly, N.J.) and Olivia Taylor (Philadelphia, Pa.) worked well together as members of the Gwynedd Mercy University 4x100-Meter Relay team that place third (3rd, 52.32, 6 points) at the 2025 AEC Women's Track and Field Championships. Meanwhile, sophomore Gabriella Rossi (Philadelphia, Pa.) began her collegiate career among the Griffin sprinters in the 100 and 200-Meter races.
 
"With it being the last season of the AEC, both teams have the opportunity to do something special. As I said with the guys, the excitement is really becoming contagious. I've been hearing all summer how hungry and excited everyone is. And, I must say, I am too."
 
The Gwynedd Mercy University women's cross country season begins on Tuesday, September 1, when they Griffins travel to Misericordia University for the Cougars' afternoon invitational.