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Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Mercy Griffins Athletics
Griffin Complex - 1325 Sumneytown Pike Milledgeville, PA 31061
Division 3 Pennsylvania Northeast
Private Small Competitive team

Coaches

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Meghan Sacks

Meghan Sacks was hired as Gwynedd Mercy University's Head Women's Lacrosse Coach prior to the 2024 season. Sacks served as Arcadia University’s assistant women’s lacrosse coach during the 2023 season, helping direct the Knights to an 8-10 overall record, a 5-3 conference finish, and the #4 seed in the in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Championship Tournament.


In Gwynedd Mercy University's first season under Coach Sacks, the Griffins picked up her first collegiate career victory over Atlantic East Conference (AEC) foe Centenary University (NJ) (W, 21-8 on Apr. 24) and allowing the Griffins to secure the sixth and final seed in the AEC Tournament. The Griffins would go on to lose to the #3 Marywood University 22-12 in the first round of the tournament. The red and gold finished their 2024 campaign with a 1-14 overall record and a 1-5 AEC standing.


As the assistant coach at Arcadia University, Coach Sacks helped her alma mater to their first MAC Freedom Championship Tournament since 2018. Her focus on defense and transition offense achieved improvements in Arcadia University’s goals, assists, shot, shot percentage, free position percentage, ground balls, clears, and draw control numbers. Under her tutelage, five Knights earned All-MAC Freedom selections in 2023; senior attack/midfielder Ashley Starkey (Colorado Springs, Colo.) (1st Team), junior goalkeeper Emily Griffith (Easton, Md.) (2nd Team), sophomore midfielder Morganne Dee (Lancaster, N.Y.) (HR), sophomore midfielder Campbell Torrey (Skaneateles, N.Y.) (HR), and sophomore defender Karina Maksym (Mount Airy, Md.) (HR).


This was Coach Sacks’ second appointment with Arcadia University as she also served as an assistant coach from September 2013 to May 2015. During her initial tenure, the Knights won the 2014 MAC Freedom Conference Championship and earned their first National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament bid. That year, Arcadia University supplied nine student-athletes to the All-MAC Freedom Team, including four First Team selections.


Outside of intercollegiate athletics, Sacks was a doctor of Physical Therapy at Fox Rehabilitation (June 2016 – October 2023) in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. There, she evaluated and treated the geriatric population with individualized, evidence-based care plans designed to improve patients’ health and quality of life. During her time at Fox Rehabilitation, Sacks also served as a clinical instructor and new graduate mentor (November 2017 – October 2019).


While at Arcadia University, Sacks also served as a clinical assistant for the Dan Aaron StayFit Clinic (January 2017 – August 2019). She supervised first and second-year doctors of physical therapy (DPT) conducting group exercise classes for individuals with Parkinson’s disease or Multiple sclerosis (MS).


As an undergraduate, Sacks was a two-year captain (2012, 2013) and ranks Top-10 all-time at Arcadia University in assists (6th, 62), goals (4th, 164), points (4th, 226), ground balls (10th, 132), and draw controls (8th, 98). The 2013 Arcadia University Senior Female Athlete of the Year earned recognition on the 2013 All-MAC Freedom First Team and the Philadelphia Area Sports Information Directors Association (Philly-SIDA)/Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Team. She graduated in 2013 with a bachelor degree in psychology and earned her doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2016.

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Cheyenne Avellino

Cheyenne Avellino ’25 joined the Gwynedd Mercy University women’s lacrosse coaching staff as an recruiting assistant prior to the 2026 season. A two-sport student-athlete during her time as an undergrad, Avellino’s passion for competition and camaraderie were evident as she served two seasons as team captain for both the Griffins’ field hockey (2023, 2024) and women’s lacrosse (2024, 2025) programs. As the women’s lacrosse recruiting assistant, her duties include scouting, evaluating, and serving as the program’s primary point of contact for all prospective student-athletes.


Avellino was a great two-way player and a staple of the Gwynedd Mercy University midfield during her time in the Red and Gold. Always a contributor, her production blossomed in her final two seasons; after a 33-point (28 goals, 5 assists) junior campaign (2024), Avellino finished her swan song with a career-high 40 goals and seven assists for a career-high 47 points. She garnered All-AEC Second Team recognition with Top-10 statistics in shots (9th, 92), goals (10th, 40), draw controls (9th, 62), and caused turnovers (8th, 28). During the course of the season, Avellino reached the century mark in points (102), draw controls (152), ground balls (127), and caused turnovers (100); a feat that established her as one of two Griffins to record at least 100 points (vs. Marywood on Apr. 16), 100 draw controls (@ Wilkes University on Feb. 26), 100 ground balls (vs. Bryn Athyn on Mar. 12), and 100 caused turnovers (@ Marymount University on Apr. 23) in her collegiate career.


As member of the Gwynedd Mercy University field hockey team, Avellino started 67 of her 71 contests. She totaled 35 points (14 goals, 7 assists) and recorded 74 shots. She was an All-AEC Second Team selection as a sophomore (2022), when she finished the season as the team leader in goals (9). Avellino also recorded four assists to finish second on the team with 22 points.


Academically, Avellino was a member of the 2024 National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III Academic Honor Squad. She was a three-time member of the AEC All-Academic Team (2022-2023, 2023-2024, 2024-2025) and a six-time member of the Gwynedd Mercy University Athletics Academic Elite (F22, S23, F23, S24, F24, S25).


With her bachelor’s degree in elementary (PreK-4) and special education (K-12), Avellino accepted a teaching position in the Daniel Boone Area School District. There, she will also function as the Blazers assistant varsity field hockey coach.

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