IMMACULATA CROSS COUNTRY AT PHILADELPHIA CROSS CLASSIC
Saturday, September 12 | Women's – 9 a.m. | Men's – 9:45 a.m.
Belmont Plateau Park | Philadelphia, Pa.
 
WHAT TO KNOW

• The Immaculata University men's and women's cross-country teams will return to action on Saturday morning when the Mighty Macs compete in the Philadelphia Cross Classic, hosted by Thomas Jefferson University, at Belmont Plateau Park in Philadelphia.
• The women's race is scheduled for 9 a.m., followed by the men's race at 9:45 a.m. Both teams enter Saturday's competition following top four finishes in their respective season openers at last weekend's Bryn Mawr Invitational at Rose Tree Park.
• The Philadelphia Cross Classic marks the second consecutive week of competition for the Mighty Macs before a three-week break from racing.

 
LAST TIME OUT – BRYN MAWR INVITATIONAL

• Immaculata opened the 2026 season with a pair of strong team performances at the Bryn Mawr Invitational on September 5.
• The women's team finished third out of six teams with 75 points, highlighted by a first-place individual performance from senior Aubrey Donahue, who won the 5K in 20:13.0. Junior Jacquie Leone followed with an 11th-place finish in 22:43.7, while junior Breanne Dymek placed 19th in 23:26.9.
• The men's team placed fourth out of six teams with 101 points. First-year runners Declan McGorry and Oliver Leader led the way in their collegiate debuts, finishing 24th and 27th, respectively. McGorry crossed in 18:55.7, while Leader posted a time of 19:10.8. Jeremiah Webb was Immaculata's third finisher in 35th in 20:24.8.

 
MIGHTY MAC WOMEN'S NOTES

• Senior Aubrey Donahue impressively opened her season, winning the Bryn Mawr Invitational 5K in 20:13.0. Donahue's victory marked her second consecutive season-opening top two finish at Bryn Mawr after she placed second at the meet in 2025.
• Junior Jacquie Leone was Immaculata's second finisher at Bryn Mawr, placing 11th in 22:43.7. Leone enters her third season as an important part of the Mighty Macs' scoring group after earning All-AEC honors in 2025.
• Junior Breanne Dymek placed 19th in last week's season opener with a time of 23:26.9. Dymek was an All-AEC Second Team selection last season after finishing 11th at the conference championship.
• Behind Immaculata's top three at Bryn Mawr, Jayla Gross finished 34th, Kyara Farjardo was 36th, Paige Bachowski placed 50th, Shannon Barycki was 53rd and Maggie Friend finished 55th.
• 2025 at Belmont: Donahue has enjoyed considerable success at the Philadelphia Cross Classic. She placed second overall in 2025 with a time of 20:23.5, finishing as one of just three Division III runners in the top 10. Immaculata finished fourth at last year's Philadelphia Cross Classic, with Donahue placing second and Leone, Dymek and the rest of the Mighty Macs gaining valuable experience on the Belmont Plateau course.

 
MIGHTY MAC MEN'S NOTES

• First-year runners Declan McGorry and Oliver Leader made immediate impacts in their collegiate debuts at Bryn Mawr. McGorry finished 24th in 18:55.7, while Leader was 27th in 19:10.8.
• First-year runner Jeremiah Webb was Immaculata's third finisher at Bryn Mawr, placing 35th in 20:24.8. Webb is one of seven newcomers joining the men's team in 2026.
• Senior Jimmy Lauer was the Mighty Macs' fourth finisher at Bryn Mawr, crossing 37th in 20:42.9. Lauer brings significant Belmont Plateau experience into Saturday's race, having finished 39th at the 2025 Philadelphia Cross Classic in 34:42.9.
• Senior Luca Patrone finished fifth for Immaculata at Bryn Mawr in 20:53.6. Patrone placed 71st at last year's Philadelphia Cross Classic and will look to improve upon that performance Saturday.
• Sophomore Nick Heinlein, juniors Kendall Budlow and Alexander Wilson, and seniors Jason Canterino and Luca Patrone give the Mighty Macs additional returning experience to complement the team's talented group of newcomers.
• 2025 at Belmont: The Mighty Macs finished sixth out of 10 teams in the 2025 Philadelphia Cross Classic. Samuel Domencic led the Mighty Macs with a 13th-place finish, clocking in at 30:29.34. Connor Kakowski finished in the top 25. His time of 32:11.37, good for 24^th place.

 
PHILADELPHIA CROSS CLASSIC AND THE BELMONT PLATEAU

• The Philadelphia Cross Classic provides Immaculata with an early-season opportunity to evaluate itself against a larger and traditionally competitive field. The Belmont Plateau course presents a different challenge from last week's Rose Tree Park 5K and gives both Mighty Mac squads an opportunity to establish another benchmark early in the season.
• The event has also become a regular stop on the Immaculata schedule. The women's team finished fourth at the 2024 and 2025 editions, while the men's team competed against a field that included several Division II programs in 2025.

 
LOOKING AHEAD
Saturday's races will be the second and final September competitions for the Mighty Macs. Following the Philadelphia Cross Classic, Immaculata will have three weeks to train and prepare for the Cairn Highlander Invitational on Oct. 3.
 
The Mighty Macs will then compete at the Rowan Inter-Regional Border Battle on October 17 before turning their attention toward the Atlantic East Conference Championships on October 31.