The Road to “The Betty”: Marymount Finishes What It Started
After an electrifying weekend of competition, “The Betty” has officially found a home, Marymount University will hold onto the coveted prize until next season.
Coming into championship Sunday, the No. 2-seeded Saints had one mission: bring “The Betty” home. Mission accomplished, but not without drama.
Marymount punched its ticket to the final after a heart-stopping 13–12 semifinal win over Eastern University. In the closing seconds, Eastern’s Kira Green connected with Molly Schelleper for a touchdown to cut the deficit to one. With everything on the line, Marymount’s defense delivered, shutting down the extra point attempt and sealing a razor-thin victory.
Earlier in the day, the tournament saw a major shake-up as No. 4-seeded Franciscan stunned top-seeded Montclair St. with a dominant 13–0 shutout. The Barons carried that momentum from Saturday’s win over Mount St. Mary’s straight into the semifinals. Leading the charge was Annie Seida, who delivered a sensational all-around performance on the weekend: 651 passing yards, 152 rushing yards, 15 receiving yards, and 3 rushing touchdowns, an all-weekend showcase that powered Franciscan into the championship.
The title game delivered everything fans could hope for and more.
In a high-scoring, back-and-forth battle, Jesenia Velez rose to the moment for Marymount, putting together one of the most remarkable performances of the season. Velez accounted for six total touchdowns, two passing, two rushing, and two receiving, while racking up 82 passing yards, 171 receiving yards, and 38 rushing yards. Simply put, she took over the game when it mattered most.
With additional firepower from Cara Vollmer, who threw for 256 yards and 2 touchdowns, the Saints pulled away late to secure a 37–26 championship victory.
Franciscan, however, proved they belonged on the biggest stage. After a relentless weekend run, they finished just short of the title, but not without recognition, four of their players earned All-Tournament honors, cementing their impact and resilience.
As the inaugural ECAC/Jets Flag Football season comes to a close, one thing is clear: this is only the beginning. With plans to expand across three divisions next year, the league is building something special and fast.
Tournament MVP:
All-Tournament Team:
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Jesenia Velez, Marymount University
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Cara Vollmer, Marymount University
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Annie Seida, Franciscan University
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Rita Thoroughman, Franciscan University
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Mara O’Leary, Franciscan University
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Kylie Panizza, Franciscan University
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Kira Green, Eastern University
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Jeriyah Johnson, Eastern University
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Kyla Massenburg, Eastern University
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Haddiyah Bell, Montclair St. University
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Genevieve Fara, Montclair St. University
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Jessie Schmitt, St. Joseph’s University (Pa.)
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Ella Grace Coccuza, St. Joseph’s University (Pa.)
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Keira Speikes, Mount St. Mary’s University
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Isabella Iaquinta, Mercyhurst University
Fans can follow the ECAC for full stats, awards, and championship coverage. Stay connected and join the movement by following @ecacflagfootball and using #ChaseTheBetty.
About the ECAC
The ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) is eighty-eight year-old organization with over 200 members schools across all three NCAA Divisions-I, II, III- that exists to enhance the experience of student-athletes participating in intercollegiate athletics, and provide great value for universities and colleges, by sponsoring championships, leagues, bowl games, tournaments and other competitions throughout the Northeast and beyond, The ECAC also hosts a comprehensive esports program with more than 300 member schools across the country fielding 2,500 teams participating in 24 different esports games, streamed live four nights a week.
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