With four of its top five runners returning, the Gannon University women's cross country team enters the 2025 season confident it can surpass its preseason expectations. The Golden Knights were tabbed 10th in the PSAC preseason poll, a ranking the program believes it can improve on after steady growth in 2024.
Last fall, Gannon finished 11th at the PSAC Championships but proved stronger at the NCAA Atlantic Regional, where the Knights placed ninth among conference teams. Head coach Rob Ahrens, now in his fourth season at the helm, views that performance as a better indicator of the team's potential.
"We believe we're better than 10th," said Ahrens. "Last year, we showed progress at regionals, and we bring back four of our top five runners. With that consistency, along with added depth, we're confident we can be better than the preseason ranking."
Freshmen Emily Bowers (Silver Creek, N.Y./Silver Creek) and Alexis Abbett (Sharpsburg, Pa./Aquinas Academy) emerged as Gannon's top two finishers in 2024. Bowers closed her rookie season strong with career-best efforts at both the conference and regional championships, while Abbett showed promise before injuries limited her late-season racing. Both return as a dynamic one-two punch for the Golden Knights. Sophomore Megan Ickes (Greenville, Pa./Greenville) also took major strides last year, giving Gannon a strong top three to anchor the lineup.
The roster is young, with nine of the 14 runners freshmen or sophomores, bringing energy and enthusiasm to the program. "Our returners have gone out of their way to make the new runners feel welcome and set the tone for the team," Ahrens noted. "The women have been especially encouraging, pushing and supporting each other in workouts. That leadership will be a strength for us."
Newcomers have already adjusted to the increased training demands of the college level, aided by strong summer preparation. The Knights also face a challenging 2025 schedule, highlighted by a midseason test at the Paul Short Run at Lehigh, one of the nation's largest meets. That race will provide valuable championship-style experience against PSAC rivals and other elite programs.
Gannon's goals include improving on its conference and regional finishes while continuing the program's tradition of excellence in the classroom. The women's team led all PSAC programs and all Gannon athletic programs with the highest GPA in 2024-25, posting an impressive 3.793 team GPA.
"At this stage in the season, I'm just super excited," Ahrens added. "I feel like the possibilities are really bright, and seeing both teams highly motivated and excited to be around each other is going to lead to some great things. I'm just excited to see how it all plays out."
The Golden Knights open their season on Friday, September 5, at 5:30 p.m., hosting Mercyhurst and welcoming PSAC opponent California (Pa.) for the Race in the Park at Pleasant Ridge Park in Fairview, Pa.
