Eight teams will vie for the 2019 Empire 8 Championship, as the upcoming season gets underway on Aug. 30, with five teams set for action on the pitch. 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 Men’s Soccer Championship. There will be a new Empire 8 champion in 2019, as two-time defending champion Stevens will compete in the MAC Freedom Conference.
Players to Watch (Sorted Alphabetically by Player)
Troy Amegashie, Hartwick, Jr., F, Accra, Ghana/Tema International School – Amegashie was named Hartwick’s Most Valuable Player in 2018.
Eduardo Angel, Sage, Sr., M, Newburgh, NY/Newburgh Free Academy – Angel appeared in 14 games last season and was a key contributor on the 2017 team that advanced to the Empire 8 Championship game.
Joe Balls, St. John Fisher, Sr., F, Waterford, England/Victor – Balls earned All-Empire 8 second team honors in helping lead St. John Fisher to the league tournament in 2018.
Ben DiCrasto, Houghton, Sr., M, Williamson, NY/Homeschool – DiCrasto, an All-Empire 8 second team pick in 2018, tallied 11 points on five goals and an assist. He has nine career goals in three seasons.
Evan Merkey, Alfred, Sr., D, Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder – Merley, a co-captain, is slated to lead the Alfred defense in 2019. He started 17 games last season, recording two goals and two assists for six points.
Jake Meyer, Elmira, Jr., M, Newark, DE/Salsianum School – Meyer arrives at Elmira after a redshirt season at Division I Iona College in 2017. He recorded two goals and an assist in 12 games at Division II Wilmington University last season.
Thomas Muller, Utica, Sr., F, Camillus, NY/Bishop Ludden – Muller will be counted on to lead the Utica offensive attack in 2019 after recording eight points on two goals and four assists last season.
Brian Wilkin, Nazareth, Sr., GK, Rochester, NY/Hilton – Wilkin, a two-time All-Empire 8 first team selection enters his final season with 24 career wins, including 16 shutouts.
Team Capsules (sorted by 2018 Standings)
Alfred
The Saxons earned the No. 2 seed in last season’s Empire 8 Tournament, going 5-2 in league play, with two of those wins coming in overtime. Fourteen players return from last season’s squad, including senior defender Evan Merkey, who is expected to serve as co-captain this season. Junior forward/midfielder Zachary Gloskin and sophomore defender Mason Sanborn, a 2018 All-Empire 8 honorable mention pick, will look to make an even greater impact in 2019. Overall, 14 players return from last season’s squad.
Nazareth
Nazareth advanced to the 2018 Empire 8 Championship game, while finishing 12-7-1 under head coach Matt Tantalo. The Golden Flyers return 16 players from last season, including three All-Empire 8 first team selections. Senior goalkeeper Brian Wilkin is a two-time All-Empire 8 first team pick with 24 wins and 16 shutouts in his first three seasons. Junior forward Jake Adams returns after tallying 23 points on eight goals and seven assists, while sophomore midfield Zein Mohamed joins Adams as 2018 first team picks. Sophomore Sam Smyth was also a second team pick in 2018.
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher used a late season push to earn a postseason berth in 2018. Senior Joe Balls will be counted on to lead the way in 2019, after earning All-Empire 8 second team honors a year ago. He will be joined by senior defenders Justin Miles and Shea Lynch, along with sophomore midfielder Justin Bonetto as team leaders in 2019. Miles served as starting goalkeeper for the second half of 2018 after an injury to the starter. Overall, the Cardinals are set to return 13 players from last season’s squad. Head coach Rob Searl is closing in on 300 career wins.
Sage
The Gators return 17 players from last season’s squad and are just two seasons removed from a trip to the Empire 8 Championship game. Senior Eduardo Angel, along with sophomore Kevin Winglosky will patrol the midfield, while junior forward Jeaneste Pierre returns as Sage’s leading goal scorer from last season, with three. The Gators will look to replace River Seybolt, a two time All-Empire 8 first team selection and 2017 Empire 8 Player of the Year.
Houghton
Houghton will look for its first postseason berth since 2016, as first-year head coach Bobby McColl takes the reigns this season. The Highlanders return 16 players from 2018, including midfielder Ben DiCrasto, an All-Empire 8 pick, who had five goals and an assist. A trio of juniors, midfielders Julius Klohr and Kenneth Estep, along with defender Daniel Myers are set to take on a larger role this season. Houghton will look to replace the loss of four All-Empire 8 selections a year ago, including first team pick Brice Bogna.
Elmira
Elmira will see plenty of contributions from both its returners and newcomers in 2019. Senior forward Adam Nichols tallied six points in 2018, while junior midfielder Cameron Sanderson looks to be at full strength after an injury limited him last season. Sophomore Nicholas Zanger will be tasked with a much larger role on defense. Competition will be fierce, as 25 newcomers are on the 2019 roster. Junior midfielder Jake Meyer arrives after a season at Division I Iona College and one year at Division II Wilmington University.
Utica
The Pioneers return three of their top five scorers from 2018, including seniors Thomas Muller and Tucker Marvin, along with junior Patrick Hynes. Two-year starter Jonathan Side returns for his senior season in the net for the Pioneers. Side posted a team-best 1.28 goals against average in 2018, while recording an impressive .815 save percentage. Utica brings in graduate transfer Adnan Bakalovic who played for Division I Syracuse University.
Hartwick ^
The Hawks are in the final season of their transition from Division I to Division III. They will play a full Empire 8 schedule in 2019 but are not eligible for postseason play until the 2020 season. Junior forward Troy Amegashie is back after leading the team in scoring last season.
Final 2018 Empire 8 Men’s Soccer Standings
Stevens (18-2-1, 8-0-0 Empire 8) – League Champions *
Alfred (6-11-0, 5-2-0 E8)
Nazareth (12-7-1, 4-2-1 E8)
St. John Fisher (4-11-2, 4-3-0 E8)
Sage (4-10-1, 2-3-1 E8)
Houghton (6-11-0, 2-5-0 E8)
Elmira (3-12-0, 1-5-0 E8)
Utica (5-12-1, 1-6-0 E8)
*Stevens moved to the MAC Freedom Conference effective for the 2019 season
^ Hartwick will join the Empire 8 but is not eligible for postseason play in 2019 as they transition to Division III. They will be fully eligible in 2020.
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
www.empire8.com and
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