Ave Maria University Athletics’ men’s cross country team won The Sun Conference championship for the second consecutive year on Nov. 7, scoring 30 points on its home course in Ave Maria, Florida. The championship featured seven men’s teams, with St. Thomas finishing second with 59 points. The victory also earned the entire Ave Maria men’s cross country team the conference’s automatic bid to the NAIA National Championships.
Ave Maria hosted the championships for the first time since 2023 and placed five scoring runners in the top 10. Donavan Mattson finished third individually in 26:11.0, followed by Utah Gusa in fifth at 26:21.7 and David Giles in sixth at 26:39.7. Sebastian Shea placed seventh in 26:45.3, while Connor Coyle finished ninth in 27:17.6.
Mattson, Gusa, Giles and Shea were named First Team All-Conference runners, while Coyle earned Second Team All-Conference recognition. Michael Donahue also made the Second Team after placing 11th as Ave Maria’s sixth runner, so he did not contribute to the team score. Ave Maria’s 30 points gave it a 29-point margin over St. Thomas.
Head coach Alan Webb was named The Sun Conference Men’s Coach of the Year after Ave Maria defended its title. Following the race, Webb said, “I am so proud of the men for just staying focused over the last year. Being ranked first is kind of a scary place to be sometimes, but they got from being the champions last year to repeating so I just applaud them for not letting off the gas and coming away with another championship.” The award added an individual honor to a championship performance built on five runners finishing between third and ninth.
Ave Maria women finish third
Ave Maria’s women’s cross country team finished third with 58 points in the women’s championship. Southeastern won with 36 points, while SCAD finished second with 39. Southeastern’s victory marked the first time since 2020 that a team other than SCAD won the women’s championship.
Catalina Schwab led Ave Maria by placing fifth individually in 23:14.4 and was the fastest freshman in the race. Lily Hynds finished eighth in 23:44.3, followed by Miriam Murrell in 12th at 24:04.8. Annabella Descalzo placed 16th in 24:28.1, and Maria Gutierrez finished 17th in 24:31.4.
Schwab was named a First Team All-Conference runner and The Sun Conference Freshman of the Year. Hynds and Murrell earned Second Team All-Conference honors. Schwab’s awards and the women’s third-place finish gave Ave Maria recognition in both championship races.
NAIA championship preparations begin
Ave Maria’s men’s automatic bid sends the entire team to the NAIA National Championships in Vancouver, Washington. The team had two weeks to prepare after winning The Sun Conference championship. The NAIA Selection Show was scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 5 p.m. on the NAIA YouTube channel.
The NAIA Championships were scheduled for the morning of Friday, Nov. 20, in Washington state. The selection show was expected to determine how many Ave Maria runners would compete in the women’s championship. The men’s qualification was already secured through the conference championship.
FSB Take
Ave Maria’s men’s title defense showed the value of team depth, with five scoring runners finishing from third through ninth and producing a 30-point total. That performance secured the program’s automatic path to the NAIA National Championships, giving the team two weeks to prepare for the meet in Vancouver. The women’s third-place finish, along with Schwab’s freshman award and First Team All-Conference selection, gave Ave Maria a second notable result from the conference championships.
Source: Original report