Eight teams will vie for the 2019 Empire 8 Championship, as the 2019 season gets underway on Aug. 30, with each squad in action. The top four teams advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place on Nov. 6 (Semifinals) and Nov. 9 (Championship). The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2019 NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship. There will be a new Empire 8 champion, as four-time defending champion Stevens will compete in the MAC Freedom Conference.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on
Empire 8 TV.
Players to Watch (Sorted Alphabetically by Player)
Stephanie Beattie, Houghton, Jr., M, Maitland, Ontario/St. Mary’s – Tallied a goal and two assists in 2018. Following in the footsteps of brother Mitchell and sister Jessica as Houghton soccer standouts.
Mikayla Blumenstock, Utica, Sr., F, Poland, NY/Poland – Blumenstock, an All-Empire 8 first team selection in 2018, led the league with 12 goals and 27 points.
Taylor Hanson, Elmira, Jr., F, Chatham, NY/Chatham – Broke out with career-high totals of six goals and 12 points in 2018 to earn Empire 8 honorable mention accolades.
Carli Kovarik, St. John Fisher, So., F, Liverpool, NY/Liverpool – Kovarik was the 2018 Empire 8 Rookie of the year and earned first team honors after scoring 10 goals and 21 points.
Hannah Miller, Nazareth, Sr., GK, Butler, PA/Butler – Miller enjoyed an incredible 2018 season, earning d3soccer.com Second Team All-American honors, in addition to being named the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year. She has a 0.75 career goals against average, 21 wins and 16 shutouts.
Courtney Velho, Hartwick, Jr., D, Derry, NH/Pinkerton Academy – Velho comes in as one of the top center backs in the league, having earned All-Empire 8 first team honors in 2018. She was also the 2017 co-Rookie of the Year.
Maegan Villa, Sage, Sr., M, Rock Tavern, NY/Washingtonville – Villa is a three-year starter for the Gators, who has 26 points on eight goals and 10 assists in 50 career contests. Three of her goals are game-winners.
Emily Wright, Alfred, Gr., M, Dallas, TX/Plano West - Led the Saxons with 17 points in 2018. Ended the season with two or more points in five of her last seven games, including all five goals.
Team Capsules (Sorted by 2018 Standings)
Utica
The Pioneers advanced to the Empire 8 Championship game in 2018, spurred on by a five-game winning streak late in the season. It was Utica’s first trip to the E8 Tournament since 2007. Mikalya Blumenstock is back for her final season at Utica after leading the Empire 8 with 12 goals and 27 points to earn first team accolades in 2018. In addition, junior Kierra Caissey is back after hitting the back of the net eight times last season. Senior goalkeeper Allison Wagner returns for her final season in 2019, recording a 1.36 goals against average in 2018 to earn All-Empire 8 second team honors.
Hartwick
Hartwick is looking for its fourth straight Empire 8 postseason berth and second league title in the last three seasons (2017 co-champions). The Hawks return 20 players, including seven starters from the 2018 team that won 10 games and advanced to the Empire 8 Semifinals. Despite the loss of two-time Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year Madison Miller and 2018 first team pick Rachel Pine, Hartwick returns three 2018 All-Empire 8 selections in junior center back Courtney Velho, sophomore forward Gabrielle Kreppein and senior goalkeeper Cassandra Robataille.
Sage
Sage won 10 games and advanced to the Empire 8 Postseason Tournament in just its second season as a league member in 2018. The Gators will have to replace Samantha Trimblett a 2018 All-Empire 8 second team selection and Sage Co-Female Athlete of the Year, who tallied 45 career goals and 114 points in four seasons. Senior Maegan Villa, along junior Lydia Malkiewicz will lead the way from the midfield, while sophomore forward Hallie Klosterman added four goals, seven assists and 15 points in 2018, as 14 Gators return.
Nazareth
The Golden Flyers will look for a postseason berth after missing the Empire 8 Tournament for the first time in 2018. Nazareth’s defensive unit should be among the best in the league, with the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year and d3soccer.com Second Team All-American Hannah Miller in net. Seniors Noelle Colilli, Mia Strollo and Erika Lepik, along with junior Lauren Begy will headline a deep group of backs. Colilli was an All-Empire 8 first team selection. Up front, the Golden Flyers return all-E8 picks Caleigh Cahoon and Mallory Ott.
St. John Fisher
Sophomore Carli Kovarik will be counted on to lead the way for the Cardinals in 2019 under first-year head coach Molly Romano. Kovarik, the 2018 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, was second in the conference with 10 goals. In addition, the Cardinals return 19 players, including midfielders Emily Murray and Shiane Irwin, along with defender Mia Tirabassi. Tirabassi was an All-Empire 8 selection in 2018. IWLCA All-American and Empire 8 Women’s Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year Molly Tice joins the Cardinals on the defensive unit in 2019 as a graduate student.
Alfred
The Saxons enjoyed one of their finest seasons in program history during the 2018 season, finishing with 11 wins, while advancing to the ECAC Tournament. Alfred returns 17 players, including 10 starters from last season’s squad. Graduate student Emily Wright and senior captain Keira Palumbo both return after earning All-Empire 8 honorable mention accolades a year ago. Wright’s seven assists were the second most in a season in Alfred history. In addition, junior forward Lexi Riffelbach and junior defender Amanda Guariglia will be counted on to play major minutes.
Houghton
The Highlanders return 18 players from last season’s team, including junior midfielder/forward Stephanie Beattie, junior forward Kealy DeForest, sophomore forward Alex Steele and sophomore defender Amy Romig. The Highlanders went an impressive 6-1-1 out of conference in 2018, while starting the season 4-0-2. Beattie will look to pick up the offensive slack of sister Jessica, an All-Empire 8 first team pick in 2018, who was second in the league scoring with 24 points on eight goals and eight assists in her final season.
Elmira
Elmira returns all of its scoring from last season, including junior Taylor Hanson, a 2018 All-Empire 8 honorable mention pick. Senior Jennifer Flynn and junior Zoya Katta are expected to patrol the midfield, while sophomore Taylor Wilms will anchor the defensive unit after making 15 starts last season. Despite eight starters returning, 13 newcomers join the squad in 2019, including goalkeeper Ally Knorr-Anderson, forward Emma Rice and midfielder Kelly Keegan.
Final 2018 Empire 8 Women’s Soccer Standings
Stevens (16-3-0, 8-0-0 Empire 8) – League Champions *
Utica (10-8-2, 5-2-1 E8)
Hartwick (10-7-1, 5-3 E8)
Nazareth (9-5-4, 3-2-3 E8)
St. John Fisher (7-6-3, 3-3-2 E8)
Alfred (11-6, 3-5-0 E8)
Houghton (6-7-3, 0-6-2 E8)
Elmira (3-12-2, 0-7-1 E8)
Sage (10-7-2, 4-3-1 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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