Men's Golf | 9/2/2021 10:59:01 AM
Utica College looks to defend its Empire 8 title, as the 2021-22 Empire 8 men’s golf season tees off Labor Day weekend. The 36-hole fall portion of the 2021-22 Empire 8 Championship will take place at Timber Banks Golf Club in Baldwinsville, NY, hosted by Elmira College on Oct. 2-3. The 36-hole spring portion of the E8 Championship will be played at Hershey Country Club, with Nazareth College serving as host institution on April 15-16, 2022. The 2021-22 Empire 8 Championship receives an automatic berth into the 2022 NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championship, set for May 10-13 at Mission Inn Resort and Club in Howey-in-the-Hills, FL.
Players to Watch (Sorted Alphabetically by Name)
Jake Costa, Nazareth, Sr., Rochester, NY/Brighton – Costa, the 2018-19 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, will look to earn his third All-Empire 8 accolade this season and will be a contender for medalist honors.
Derek Countryman, Elmira, Jr., Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie – Countryman will look to earn All-Empire 8 honors in 2021-22, showing signs of brilliance for the Soaring Eagles.
Ryan Fecco, Oswego, Sr., Baldwinsville, NY/CW Baker – Fecco was the runner-up at last spring’s Empire 8 Championship.
Ben McBane, St. John Fisher, So., Rochester, NY/Brighton – McBane was the Spring 2021 Empire 8 Men’s Golf Rookie of the Year and earned All-Empire 8 second team honors.
Blake Pritchard, Russell Sage, Gr., Malone, NY/Franklin Academy – Pritchard is a two-time All-Empire 8 selection, earning second team accolades in 2019, while finishing third last spring to garner All-E8 first team honors.
Ryan Sisco, Keuka, So., Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse – Sisco will be counted on to lead the Wolves in their first Empire 8 season.
Josh Kienz, Utica, Sr., Newbergh, NY/Valley Central – Kienz is the defending Empire 8 Individual Champion and is looking to earn his fourth All-Empire 8 first team nod in 2021-22.
Team Capsules (Sorted by Spring 2021 Championship Results)
Utica
Utica is set to defend its Empire 8 Championship in 2021-22 and return five of its six competing golfers from the title team. Senior Josh Kienz returns to defend his Empire 8 Championship and attempt to earn All-Empire 8 first team honors for the fourth time. Classmate Joe Miga is looking to become a four-time All-Empire 8 selection, earning second team honors in 2018-19 and first team accolades in each of the last two seasons. Nick Visconti and Adam Woodmansee also return after garnering All-Empire 8 second team honors last spring.
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher had its streak of nine straight league titles snapped last spring. The Cardinals will look to win their 17th Empire 8 title this season. Several golfers will compete for All-Empire 8 accolades, led by sophomore Ben McBane, who finished sixth overall and was named the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year at last spring’s championship. Classmate Luke Buckley finished right behind McBane in seventh to garner All-E8 second team plaudits.
SUNY Oswego
SUNY Oswego will look to vault to the top of the Empire 8 leaderboard this season after placing third last spring. Senior Ryan Fecco, the Spring 2021 Empire 8 individual runner-up is back and in the mix for individual medalist honors in 2021-22. Junior Chris Sugar along with sophomore Joe Pacheco, senior Joe Marszalek and junior Oliver Wolland will look to lead Oswego to the team title. First-year standouts Tyler Kozlowski and Jake Owens will compete for time in the starting lineup as well.
Nazareth
The Golden Flyers look to climb into the top three of the league standings in 2021-22 after placing fourth last spring at the Empire 8 Championship. Senior Jake Costa, the 2018-19 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, will look to earn his third All-Empire 8 accolade this season and will be a contender for medalist honors. Senior Stephen Gabel, who also excels for the Nazareth men’s basketball team and sophomore Tom McIntosh will also look to play a major role in 2021-22.
Elmira
The Soaring Eagles placed fifth at last spring’s Empire 8 Championship and return veterans Derek Countryman, Liam Sanborn, Kevin Silfee and Ryan Reifler. Shane Haviland, Charles Grandaw and Nicholas Domitrovic will also look to excel for Elmira this season.
Russell Sage
Russell Sage will look to improve off its sixth place finish last spring at the E8 Championship. Graduate student Blake Pritchard is back and will be in the mix for individual medalist honors after placing third last spring. Ethan Peters, Stuart Phair and Aidan O’Neil return, while newcomers Austin Carpenter and Shane Kammerman will step right into the starting lineup.
Keuka
Keuka makes its Empire 8 debut in 2021. The Wolves placed sixth overall at the 2018-19 NEAC Championship. Sophomore Ryan Sisco and junior Ryan Schouten will be counted on to lead the way for Keuka.
Final Spring 2021 Empire 8 Men’s Golf Championship Results
Utica – 634 Strokes – League Champions
St. John Fisher – 642
SUNY Oswego – 672
Nazareth – 699
Elmira – 741
Russell Sage – 758
Keuka is making its Empire 8 debut this fall.
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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