DOYLESTOWN, Pa. - On Saturday, Eastern Women's Cross Country competed in the 2025 MAC Championships hosted by Delaware Valley University. Despite being shorthanded, the Eagles finished in ninth place with a team score of 229.

First-year Ashley Bitler completed her strong rookie campaign with an All-MAC Third Team finish, placing 23rd with a time of 24:21.9. It was her second-best run of the season, and she becomes the 11th Eagle since 2013  to earn All-MAC Honors in Cross Country. Julia Wade, back in the lineup after missing the Roanoke Invitational, was second on the Eagles with a time of 25:28.3.

Eastern's 3-7 runners are finished within 30 seconds of each other. Chelsea Kipnis and Ashley Medina crossed the finish line back-to-back at 26:32.6 and 26:35.1. Jessica Ferrera finished in 27:00.4, and Kayleigh Newsome finished two places behind her at 27:03.9.

"With one of our top-five out for the season, closing the gap was hard to do, but they did a great job moving up as a team throughout the race despite this," Eastern Head Coach Kiehl Smith said. "The next two weeks will be beneficial for us to rediscover our flow as we head into regionals."

The Eagles will be back in action in two weeks for the NCAA Metro Regional Championships in Logan Township, N.J.