NEW HAVEN, Conn. (August 27, 2025) – The 2025 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference cross-country season gets underway the weekend of September 5-6 with most teams in action in various races throughout the region.
The regular season will be a buildup to the 2025 CACC Cross-Country Championships on Sunday, October 26 at Belmont Plateau in Philadelphia, Pa. The women’s 5,000-meter race will begin at 9 a.m. Thomas Jefferson University is the defending team champion, while 2023 and 2024 individual winner Ana Eshraghi of Jefferson has graduated.
Jefferson will serve as host of the CACC Championships, which will be broadcast live on the CACC Network.
Below is a team-by-team preview of the 2025 campaign (submitted by member schools):
BRIDGEPORT – UB returns four scorers from last year’s CACC Championship meet. Sophomore Stephanie Lickteig and senior Julia Fortune led the Purple Knights with 37th and 45th places, respectively. Juniors Samantha Rodrigues and Lynzie Lawton are also returning runners for the Purple Knights.
CALDWELL – Caldwell’s top four runners return -- junior Dayanara Grau, sophomore Ria Datta, and seniors Isabella Pollock and Chennaya Tschopp. They will be joined by five freshmen. Head coach Kyle Price is in his sixth year at the Cougars’ helm.
CHESTNUT HILL – The Griffins have a new coach as Ryan O’Hara takes over for Ashley Johnson. Gabby Hassler is CHC’s sole returning regular. She was an all-CACC runner in 2023, placing eighth at the conference meet, before struggling with injuries last season. Rebecca Dalton and Grace Mott will compete when available, as soccer is their primary sport. The duo finished 18th and 30th, respectively, at last year’s CACC Championship. Two newcomers will also join the team this year.
DOMINICAN – DUNY returns five runners from 2024 and adds transfer Veronica Valentik.
FELICIAN – Felician graduates all-conference performers Catherine Catipay and Cynthia Delapaz from a team that finished second in the conference a year ago. The Golden Falcons return another all-CACC runner in senior Imani Fitzpatrick. Other key returnees include sophomore Crystal Margotta, who clocked in at 25:19 for 6K at the NCAA Regional, and junior Kaitlyn Vieira, who ran five races in 2024 with a season-best 5K of 22:08.
GEORGIAN COURT – Coming off a seventh-place result in the CACC in 2024, the Lions are looking to finish sixth or better in the season ahead. All-conference performer Amirah Beasley is a key loss. GCU returns Kerry Ann Hohenshilt, Sam Lonseth, Julisa Ponce Sanchez, and Brenna Sullivan and expects contributions from newcomers Sophia Mauro, Gwendolyn Morris, and Nora Sprunger.
GOLDEY-BEACOM – GBC ended fifth at last year’s conference meet and sees the return of seniors Haley Schofield and Kaylah Hill, both of whom ran in all six races in 2024. Schofield finished 24th at last season’s CACC meet, while Hill was 52nd.
HOLY FAMILY – Catie (Jaskowak) Holohan, a 2018 All-Northeast Conference performer at Saint Francis University and a member of the Red Flash’s 2016 NEC Championship team, takes over the reins of the HFU cross-country program. The Tiger women have placed in the top four at four consecutive CACC Championships, and return three-student athletes who helped them finish fourth in 2024. Holy Family opens its season at the Philadelphia Cross Classic on Sept. 6 at Belmont Plateau, the site of the 2025 CACC Championship race.
JEFFERSON – Seeking their third consecutive CACC title and 15th in the last 18 years, the Rams return four All-CACC runners from last season. These include 2024 All-Region performer Annalee Capuano and last year’s Conference Rookie of the Year, Hannah Powell. Sarah Lorenz and Natalie McFadden round out Jefferson’s all-conference returnees.
WILMINGTON - The 2025 Wildcats have six returning runners, with all six student-athletes running at Regionals a season ago. The team is led by All-CACC and All-Region performer Tiffany Banning, running fourth in the CACC and 25th at Regionals. Twin sister Sammy Banning narrowly missed All-CACC status with a 16th place finish at the Championship while sisters Amy Chomo and Angie Chomo, along with Maddie Minnick, all helped the team to a third-place finish in the CACC. The Wildcats have four meets to prepare for the 2025 CACC Championship, starting on September 6 at the Philadelphia Cross Classic.
Founded in 1961, the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference has been affiliated with NCAA Division II for 20 years. Conference institutions compete for championships in 17 sports – seven for men, nine for women, and one co-ed. The CACC contains 11 full members in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Membership includes the University of Bridgeport, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Dominican University New York, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Post University, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wilmington University.