ROCHESTER, NY – Washington & Jefferson College will look to win its third straight Empire 8 Championship as the 2019 season gets underway on Aug. 30, with all eight teams in action. The top four teams will advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place at the home of the regular season champion and top-seed on Nov. 8-9. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2019 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on
Empire 8 TV.
Players to Watch
Jennifer Hilts, Nazareth, Sr., F, Eaton, NY/Morrisville-Eaton – A 2018 All-Empire 8 second team pick, Hilts recorded 26 points on 10 goals and six assists for the Golden Flyers and has 59 points in three seasons.
Rena Israel, Washington & Jefferson, Jr., GK, Wexford, PA/North Allegheny – Israel earned NFCHA Second Team All-Region honors after leading the nation in goals against average (0.28) and save percentage (.909) during an incredible 2018 season.
Caitlin Jennings, Houghton, Jr., F, Vestal, NY/Vestal – Jennings is a two-time All-Empire 8 selection and enters her junior season with 53 career points on 22 goals and nine assists.
Janie Kempf, Elmira, Jr., M, New Woodstock, NY/Cazenovia – Kempf has led Elmira in scoring in each of her first two seasons, including 19 points in 2017 to earn All-Empire 8 second team accolades.
Brooke Perry, Sage, So., B/M, Hampton, NY/Granville – Perry appeared in all 17 games for the Gators in 2018 and was named the inaugural Gator of the Year.
Brooke Singer, Hartwick, Jr., M, Johnson City, NY/Maine-Endwell – Singer, an All-Empire 8 second team pick in 2018, is one of the top returning midfielders, having tallied five goals last season.
Bre Socker, St. John Fisher, Jr., F, Liverpool, NY/Liverpool – A two-time All-Empire 8 first team selection, Socker is leading returning scorer among all league players, having tallied 20 goals and 55 points last season. She has 87 points in two seasons and was a 2018 NFCHA All-Region selection.
Sabrina Whitehouse, Utica, Forward, Junior, Greenwich, NY/Greenwich – Whitehouse, a 2018 All-Empire 8 second team selection, tallied 16 points on five goals and six assists.
Team Capsules (sorted by 2018 Standings)
Washington & Jefferson
The Presidents are looking for their third consecutive Empire 8 Championship in 2019. Washington & Jefferson finished 18-2 overall and advanced to the second round of the 2018 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship, while out-scoring its opponents, 45-6. Junior goalkeeper Rena Israel leads one of the best defensive units in all of Division III. Last season, the Presidents allowed just six goals in 20 games and Israel led the nation with a 0.28 goals against average and a .909 save percentage. Despite losing four All-Empire 8 selections, including 2018 Player of the Year Rachel Buyan, Washington & Jefferson returns seven starters and 12 veterans, including seniors Rachel Fromm and Alexis Miller, along with junior Reghan Dunn. The Presidents have won 16 consectuive Empire 8 regular season games dating back to the 2016 season.
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher advanced to the 2018 Empire 8 Championship game, while leading the conference in in numerous categories including goals (68), goals per game (3.4), and shots (361). St. John Fisher’s .816 save percentage was the second-highest among its conference opponents. The Cardinals lost NFCHA All-American Lauren Fazio to graduation, but return junior All-Region pick Bre Socker, who tallied 20 goals and 15 assists in 2018 and All-E8 second team pick, Gianna Palma, who had 10 assists and 22 points. In addition, All-Empire 8 second team goalkeeper Ashley Maynard is back to lead the defensive unit. Overall, the Cardinals return 17 players from a team that finished 15-5 overall in 2018.
Hartwick
The Hawks, who took eventual league champion Washington & Jefferson to overtime in the 2018 Empire 8 Semifinals, will look to make their third postseason appearance in the last four seasons in 2019. Despite the loss of 2018 All-Empire 8 first team picks Maria Stalder and Perry Willett, Hartwick returns 18 players and eight starters from a team that won 12 games last year, including midfielder Brooke Singer, an All-E8 second team pick. Junior forward Tegan Robinson and senior back Maggie Stauble will also lead the way in 2019. Hartwick out-scored opponents 56-29 and had a 252-99 advantage in shots on goal last season.
Nazareth
Nazareth returns plenty of firepower up front in Jennifer Hilts, Mikaylee Whalen and Alexandra Livesey, who combined for 24 goals and 64 points in 2018. In addition, junior back Abbey Szumloz will be counted on to lead the defense in 2019. The nine wins in 2018 tied for the most by a Golden Flyer team in the last 11 seasons. Nazareth, who returns six starters and 12 veterans will look to replace goalkeeper Kimber Nourse, who was second in the league with 158 saves and All-Empire 8 first team selection Jessica Livesey, who tallied 32 points.
Utica
The Pioneers were one of the highest scoring teams in the league last season, averaging 2.53 goals per game. They will look to replace the scoring of Rylee Meelan, who graduated in 2019 as the fifth-highest scorer in program history. Sabrina Whitehouse, Sydney Scaccia and Ricki Haab will be counted on to provide offense, as eight starters return in 2019. The Pioneers begin the season at home for the first time since 2012 by hosting SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Oneonta and St. Lawrence in the Utica College Invitational on Aug. 30-31.
Houghton
Houghton returns 11 players and seven starters from last season’s squad. Jennings, a 2017 All-Empire 8 first team selection and senior Sydney Jameson will lead the offense, while Hannah Daniels, a 2018 All-Empire 8 second team pick will anchor the defensive unit. Senior goalkeeper Sarah Olandt played every minute for the Highlanders in 2018, making 84 saves, while recording a pair of shutouts.
Elmira
The Soaring Eagles recorded their best season since 2005 in 2018, earning six wins with a young group. Eight starters return for Elmira, including Janie Kempf, who has 31 points in two seasons and defender Liz Shephard, a 2018 All-Empire 8 honorable mention selection. Tina O’Donnell is back in net after leading the conference with 220 saves. In addition, seven highly touted newcomers join the Soaring Eagles in 2019.
Sage
Sage will look to continue its ascent in its second year of competition in 2019, as 12 players return, including nine starters. Tamara Mills begins her first season as head coach and will lean on sophomore Sara O’Connor and senior Hailey Mato to provide offense for the Gators. In addition to Perry on the defensive end, sophomore goalkeeper Abigayle Greier is back between the pipes after appearing in 14 games last season.
Final 2018 Empire 8 Field Hockey Standings
Washington & Jefferson (18-2, 8-0 Empire 8) – League Champions
St. John Fisher (15-5, 7-1 E8)
Stevens (12-7, 6-2 E8) *
Hartwick (12-6, 5-3 E8)
Nazareth (9-10, 4-4 E8)
Utica (6-11, 3-5 E8)
Houghton (5-12, 2-6 E8)
Elmira (6-11, 1-7 E8)
Sage (4-13, 0-8 E8)
*Stevens moved to the MAC Freedom Conference effective for the 2019 season
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
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