MONTGOMERY, N.Y. – Reigning MAAC Women's Cross Country Champion
Hannah Snayd beat the field by more than 15 seconds to retain her crown and lead Fairfield University at the 2025 MAAC Championship. The Stags' fifth-place team finish at Twin Ponds on the Farm matches the program's best-ever showing at the conference championship.
Snayd completed the 6K course in 20:04.8 to take home her second straight individual MAAC Championship. She is the only Fairfield Cross Country runner – women's or men's – to claim the conference title. In today's race, she topped Iona's Tayla Gunton by over 15 seconds as the Gaels' topped harrier crossed the line in 20:16.3.
Snayd's time eclipsed her mark on the same course in last season's championship race by 33.5 seconds.
Fairfield jumped up to fifth place on the team ledger to improve upon a ninth place performance in 2024. The Stags previously finished fifth in 1983, 1992, 1994, 2010, and 2012.
Mia Strazzella was the second Stag to complete the course with a time of 22:01.5 to slot 24th in the 152-runner field.
Carlina Castro (22:08.8) finished 29th,
Catherine Gobo (22:26.8) ranked 39th,
Clare Lowther (22:47.1) was at 45th in her MAAAC Championship debut, and
Molly Ryle (23:17.5) placed 62nd to round of Fairfield's quintet of scorers.
Also hitting the course on Saturday for the Stags were
Sophie Cheesman (23:38.7),
Taylor Partridge (23:41.4),
Bridget Reidy (24:00.2),
Michaela Kenny (24:14.4),
Callie DeDecko (24:48.8), and
Anna Heras (24:52.5).
"I can't say enough how proud I am of this team," said Head Coach
Jake Jayworth. Everyone was 100% committed to the plan and it showed in how we executed the race at every stage. We have had so much fun all year showing up for each other and chasing big goals, and our race today wasn't any different."
Quinnipiac won the team title at the 2025 MAAC Championship with all five of its scorers placing among the top 13. Iona, Sacred Heart, and Marist comprised the teams to best the Stags, with the Red Foxes edging out Fairfield by only three points.
"We have another big race in two weeks at the regional meet and if we keep that same energy then there's a lot of success that we can have there," added Jayworth.
Fairfield Women's Cross Country returns to action on Friday, Nov. 14 for the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship at Hopkinton State Fairgrounds in Hopkinton, New Hampshire.
