General | 12/22/2021 9:12:01 AM
The Empire 8 Conference is proud to announce the inaguaral Fall 2021 Torchbearer Award winners for academic and athletic excellence. Ten different student-athletes from five institutions earned the prestigious award during the fall season.
The Empire 8 Torchbearer is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average (GPA) participating in the championship game for each E8 sport. To be eligible for the Empire 8 Torchbearer Award, a student-athlete must be a sophomore, junior, or senior and in at least their second season of competition with their current team. Graduate students are not eligible.
For sports where an individual is awarded all-conference honors at the conference championship, such as men’s and women’s cross country, the individual with the highest cumulative GPA amongst the first and second place finishing teams will receive the award. For sports that compete in a conference tournament, the student-athlete with the highest GPA from the championship finals contest will receive the honor. For football, the student-athlete with the highest GPA from the first or second place team in the conference standings is honored.
The torch has served as served as the Empire 8’s primary symbol since the league’s inception in 1999. A torchbearer is “a person who carries a torch at the head of a group of people; someone who leads a campaign, movement and who leads or inspires others in working toward a valued goal. The Empire 8 Torchbearer award captures the essence of Empire 8’s mission of “Tomorrow’s Leaders Compete Here Today” and commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes, which is the league’s hallmark.
2021 Fall Empire 8 Torchbearer Award Winners
Men’s Cross Country – Anthony DiRubbo, St. John Fisher, So., Media Management, 3.97 GPA
Derrick Tandle, St. John Fisher, So., Psychology, 3.97 GPA
Women’s Cross Country – Brigid McGee, St. John Fisher, So., Adolsescence Education, 4.0 GPA
Laura Witt, St. John Fisher, So., Chemistry and Biochemistry, 4.0 GPA
Field Hockey – Madison Ranali, Utica, So., Physical Therapy, 3.91 GPA
Football – Dominic Gombetto, SUNY Cortland, Sr., Healthcare Managenent, 3.76 GPA
Men’s Soccer – Isaiah Miller, Houghton, Jr., Biology, 3.98 GPA
Women’s Soccer – Grace Hainsworth, St. John Fisher, Jr., Nursing, 4.0 GPA
Women’s Tennis – Cierra Barkley, Hartwick, Jr., Business Administration, 3.63 GPA
Women’s Volleyball – Gracie Jacob, St. John Fisher, So., Accounting, 4.0 GPA
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.
EMPIRE 8 SOCIAL MEDIA
YouTube –
Facebook –
Twitter –
Instagram