EDISON, NJ, (Nov. 5, 2025) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), today announced the 2025 Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year winners, as voted on by the league’s 13 head coaches.
Iona University head coach, Joe Pienta, was voted as the MAAC Men’s Coach of the Year amongst his peers for the eighth straight season. Pienta has garnered the award every season dating back to 2018. Pienta guided the Gaels to the 2025 MAAC Men’s Cross Country Championship on Saturday, November 1, their NCAA record 35th-straight championship. Iona secured the top 10 spots and had 11 total runners secure a top-15 position to earn All-MAAC Team honors at the championship, scoring a perfect 15, en route to the title.
Quinnipiac University head coach, Carolyn Martin was selected as MAAC Women’s Coach of the Year by her peers for the fourth consecutive year and fifth time overall. In addition to winning the honor four straight years dating back to 2022, she also collected the award in 2015. Martin led the Bobcats to the 2025 MAAC Women’s Cross Country Championship on Saturday, the fourth straight crown for the team. In total, she has led Quinnipiac to five overall women’s championships, also winning it all back in 2015. Quinnipiac posted a winning score of 36 at the championship, boasting five All-MAAC runners who finished in the top-15, headlined by the race’s bronze medalist.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 45th year of competition during the 2025-26 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena University.
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