Women's Indoor Track and Field | 1/12/2022 10:50:42 AM
St. John Fisher College will look to earn its third straight Empire 8 Championship, as the 2021 women’s indoor track and field season ramps up this month as the second semester gets underway. The Empire 8 Championship will take place at Utica College on Friday, Feb. 25 and Saturday, Feb. 26. Below are two athletes to watch from each institution.
Athletes to Watch (Sorted by Institution)
Bianca Durso, Alfred, So., Multi-Events, Utica, NY/New Hartford – Durso won the pentathlon at the Utica Holiday Classic in December and is a two-time runner-up in the high jump at both the 2021 E8 Indoor and Outdoor Championships.
Madison Palmer, Alfred, Sr., Throws, East Aurora, NY/East Aurora – Palmer currently has the 36th best performance in Division III in the shot put (11.80 meters) and 43rd best in the weight throw (14.18 meters). She won the 2021 Empire 8 Outdoor shot put title and was runner-up at the 2020 E8 Indoor Championship in both the shot put and weight throw.
Annie Sullivan, Hartwick, Sr., Middle Distance, Londonderry, NH/Pinkerton Academy – Sullivan, who also competes on the Hartwick cross country team, is expected to compete for the Hawks in the 400- and 800-meter events.
Vasilki Drapaniotis, Hartwick, Jr., Sprints/Jumps, New Berlin, NY/Gilbertsville-Mt. Upton – Drapaniotis will look enjoy a strong season in the jumping and sprint events. She competed for Hartwick during the 2021 cross country season.
Amanda Burrichter, Houghton, Jr., Distance, Houghton, NY/Fillmore – Burrichter is the defending Empire 8 Indoor Champion in both the mile and 3,000-meters. She also won the 1,500 meters at the 2021 E8 Outdoor Championship.
Amerrah Horne-Vaden, Houghton, Fr., Sprints, Portland, OR/Tualatin – Horne-Vaden has already made a major impact in 2021-22 with the 19th fastest time nationally in the 200-meters (26.49 seconds) and 20th best time in the 60-meter dash (7.97 seconds). She is a two-time E8 Performer of the Week to date this season.
Brenna Johnson, Nazareth, Sr., Sprints/Jumps, Cortland, NY/Homer – Johnson was the 2021 Empire 8 Indoor Track Athlete of the Year and 2019 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year. She is the two-time defending E8 Champion in the 400-meters and defending champion in both the 60- and 200-meters. Overall, she is a nine-time Empire 8 Champion. Johnson currently has the 10th best time in the 400-meters (1:00.02) in 2021-22.
Hannah Ragule, Nazareth, So., Jumps/Hurdles, Albany, NY/Cohoes – Ragule was the 2021 Empire 8 Indoor Track and Field Rookie of the Year after winning the triple jump title and placing third in the long jump. She will be a strong contender in both the triple and long jump.
Mackenzie Feeney, Russell Sage, So., Distance, Saugerties, NY/Saugerties – Feeney was named the Spring 2021 Empire 8 Cross Country Rookie of the Year and is expected to excel in middle distance events for the Gators. She was part of the distance medley relay team that was second in last year’s E8 Indoor Championships.
Natalie Ricci, Russell Sage, Sr., Sprints, Cohoes, NY/Cohoes – Ricci, who has earned All-Empire 8 women’s soccer honors has the potential to be a top sprinter for the Gators in 2021-22.
Riley Corey, St. John Fisher, Jr., Distance, Waterloo, NY/Waterloo – Corey was the 2021 Empire 8 Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year and is the two-time defending Empire 8 Champion in the 5,000-meters. Overall, she is a five-time Empire 8 Track and Field Champion and is the two-time E8 defending Cross Country Champion.
Jordan Lehman, St. John Fisher, Gr., Throws, Port Leyden/South Lewis – Lehman is a three-time Empire 8 Champion overall in throws and was the Field Athlete of the Meet at both the 2021 Indoor and Outdoor Championships. She has the 17th best weight throw in Division III this season (15.30 meters).
Jane Fahy, Utica, Throws, Oriskany, NY/Oriskany – Fahy is the defending Empire 8 Indoor Champion in the shot put and earned All-E8 second team honors in the event at the 2021 Outdoor Championships.
Kelsey Wands, Utica, Jr., Jumps, Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro – Wands qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the long jump last spring and is a two-time E8 Champion (2020 Indoor and 2021 Outdoor) in that event. She will be expected to contend for the E8 and NCAA titles in the event once again in 2021-22.
Final Spring 2021 Empire 8 Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championship Results
St. John Fisher – 160 Points – League Champions
Nazareth – 158
Utica – 66
Houghton – 48
Alfred – 41
Russell Sage – 23
^ Hartwick did not compete during the Spring 2021 season. 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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