Women's Basketball | 11/4/2022 9:46:36 AM
St. John Fisher University will look to repeat as Empire 8 Champions, as the 2022-23 women’s basketball season gets underway on Nov. 8, with a handful of teams in action. Empire 8 league play begins on Dec. 2-3. The top six teams will advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place with first round action on Tuesday, Feb. 21. The top-seed will host the Empire 8 semifinal round games on Friday, Feb. 24 and the championship on Saturday, Feb. 25. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championship.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the
Empire 8 Network.
2022-23 E8 Players to Watch (Sorted Alphabetically)
Jadyn Abrams, Nazareth, Gr., F, Bath, NY/Haverling – Abrams is the reigning two-time Empire 8 Player of the Year, and All-American, who enters her final season with 1,340 career points. Last season, she averaged 16.2 points and 5.2 boards per game.
Isabella Astorino, Hartwick, Jr., F, Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley – Astorino enjoyed a strong first season with the Hawks, averaging 4.4 points and 4.0 rebounds to go along with 1.2 blocks per game.
Haley Burchhardt, Utica, Fr., G, Schenectady, NY/Shalmont – Burchhardt led Schalmont High to a Section II Class B title in 2022 and will be counted on to make an immediate impact for the Pioneers this season.
Syrita Faraj, Russell Sage, So., G, Troy, NY/Tamarac – Faraj was named the 2021-22 Empire 8 Rookie of the after averaging 13.8 points and 7.9 boards per game. She was also named to the E8 Championship All-Tournament Team.
Gillian Flint, Alfred, Gr., G, Caledonia, NY/Caledonia-Mumford – Flint was an All-Empire 8 second team selection during the Spring 2021 season. Last season, she averaged 8.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.6 assists per game.
Erin Hardick, Medaille, Sr., G, Buffalo, NY/Sacred Heart – Hardick averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game last season for the Mavericks.
Lauren Hill, Keuka, Sr., G, Cobleskill, NY/Cobleskill-Richmondville – Hill averaged 9.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game last season, while playing in just under 23 minutes per contest.
Claire Kruszka, St. John Fisher, Jr., G, Lake View, NY/Frontier – Kruszka was an All-Empire 8 first team selection last season, averaging 12.1 points and 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. She was also the Spring 2021 Rookie of the Year.
Carlee Miller, Houghton, Jr., F, Fillmore, NY/Fillmore – Miller averaged 9.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in 2021-22 and will be expected to lead the way for the Highlanders on both ends of the floor.
Desiree Roy, Elmira, So., F, Stafford, VA/North Stafford – Roy, a 2021-22 All-Empire 8 third team selection, led the Soaring Eagles in scoring (12.3 points) and rebounding (10.4 boards) last season, while shooting 45 percent from the floor and chipping in with 1.4 blocks per game.
Team Capsules (Sorted by 2021-22 Standings)
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher opens the season ranked No. 17 in the D3hoops.com national poll. St. John Fisher is the defending Empire 8 Champion and finished the 2021-22 season with a 26-3 record, while advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals have a strong mix of established returners and highly touted newcomers, as a pair of All-Empire 8 selections in Claire Kruszka (first team) and Kaitlyn Walker (second team) are back, along with Sidney Tomasso and Anna Milham. Kruszka averaged 12.1 points and 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, while knocking down 56 shots from behind the arc. Walker averaged 11.68 points and 8.8 caroms per game. Head coach Melissa Kuberka, the 2022 d3hoops.com East Region Coach of the Year has led the Cardinals to a 96-27 record in five seasons with five straight trips to the Empire 8 Championship game. St. John Fisher will look to win its seventh Empire 8 Championship in 2022-23.
Hartwick
The Hawks enjoyed a tremendous season in 2021-22, finishing 13-3 in Empire 8 play and 18-7 overall, while advancing to the league semifinals. The Hawks will look to replace the loss of three All-Empire 8 selections in Maggie and Molly Kirby in addition to Giuliana Pritchard. Juniors Bree Fargnoli and Isabella Astorino will be counted on to lead the way for the Hawks this season. Fargnoli averaged 6.6 points and 4.8 boards per game in just over 17 minutes of action per contest in 2021-22, while Astorino had 4.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in just 15 minutes per game. Fellow juniors Angelina Maselli, Catie Unger, Sareena DiCerbo and senior Erin Novak will also be expected to become key contributors for 2021-22 E8 Co-Coach of the Year Sarah Lombard.
Nazareth
The Golden Flyers will look for their second Empire 8 title in three seasons and return nine players from last season. Graduate student Jadyn Abrams, the two-time reigning E8 Player of the Year and All-American is back to lead Nazareth. Abrams averaged 16.2 points per game last spring and enters the 2022-23 season with 1,340 career points. Abrams is also a career 85 percent free throw shooter. Fellow graduate student Kim Davis, a two-time All-Empire 8 selection is back, along with Chelsea Woodsum, Madilann Johnson and Sarah Simmons. Newcomers Brielle Reidinger and Kiara Anglin will also look to make an immediate impact for Nazareth in 2022-23.
Utica
Utica started 2021-22 by setting program records with a 12-game winning streak and 12-0 record to begin a season. The Pioneers, who eventually won 19 games and advanced to the Empire 8 Tournament, will have a new look in 2022-23, as they try to replace Sydney Pryzgoda, the 2021-22 Empire 8 Woman of the Year, who was also a 1,000-point scorer and three-time All-E8 selection in as many seasons. Patrina DeMarco, Krissy Geraci and Kimberly Soriano were all key components of last season’s team who will be counted on to lead the way for the Pioneers in 2022-23. In addition, head coach Michele Davis has brought several talented newcomers, including Haley Burchhradt and Christina Negron.
Russell Sage
The Gators advanced to the Empire 8 Semifinals in 2021-22 and return 11 players, including Syrita Faraj, the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year. Faraj averaged 13.8 points and 7.9 boards per game and was also named to the E8 Championship All-Tournament Team. Senior guard Sammy Pasinella, a two-time All-Empire 8 selection also returns. One of the top 3-point shooters in the league, Pasinella averaged 12.1 points per game in 2021-22 and is 220 points shy of 1,000 for her career. The Gators also added 2021-22 All-E8 first team selection Giuliana Pritchard, who played last season for Hartwick and will play her graduate season. She averaged 13.0 points, 6.6 boards and 1.3 blocks per contest. Seniors Renna Poulin and sophomore Lauren Sanderson will also look to play a key role in Russell Sage’s success this season.
Alfred
Alfred finished tied for fifth in the Empire 8 standings last season 11 players, including graduate students Gillian Flint and Allison O’Toole, in addition to juniors Karly Welty, Leah Harkinrider, Grace Rittenhouse and senior Ana Ion. Ion was an All-Empire 8 third team selection in 2021-22 after averaging 10.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game last season. Flint is one of the better defensive players in the league, as her 2.4 steals per game were tied for third most in the league last season.
Elmira
Elmira looks to get back to the postseason in 2022-23 after winning 10 games a season ago. Eight players return, including sophomore Desiree Roy, an All-Empire 8 third team selection, who enjoyed a strong first season in 2021-22 leading the Soaring Eagles with 12.3 points, 10.4 boards and 1.4 blocks per game, while shooting 45 percent from the field. Fifth-year Taylor Albrecht and sophomores Olivia Ayers, D’Asia Jones, Taylor Jung and Neveah Winston will be counted on to play a key role for Elmira in 2022-23. Winston is also a standout goalkeeper on the Soaring Eagles women’s soccer team.
Houghton
Houghton will look to build off last season in which they won nine games, as eight returners and a host of talented newcomers will be in the mix for playing time in 2022-23. Junior Carlee Miller, along with sophomore Abby Guiher will be counted on to lead the Highlanders this season. Head coach Phil Pellegrino has brought in a strong group of newcomers, including guards Trinity Copeland, Crysta Lacrosse and Malorie Estick, along with dual sport standout Emma Cole (volleyball).
Keuka
Keuka will look to get back to the postseason in 2022-23 and have nine players returning from last season’s squad, including four of its top five scorers. Senior Lauren Hill is back after averaging 9.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in 2021-22. Killian Maloney, Sydney Brown and Meaghan McGwin will also look to make a greater impact in 2022-23.
Medaille
Medaille makes its debut as a member of the Empire 8 Conference in 2022-23. The Mavericks won 11 games last season as a member of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference. Seniors Erin Hardick and Xaneya Thomas, along with junior Shyanne Trinh will be counted on to lead the way this season for first-year head coach Nick Moore.
Final 2021-22 Empire 8 Women’s Basketball Standings
St. John Fisher (26-3, 15-1 E8) – League Champions
Hartwick (18-7, 13-3 E8)
Nazareth (17-10, 11-5 E8)
Utica (19-7, 10-6 E8)
Russell Sage (8-8, 13-14 E8)
Alfred (8-8, 13-12 E8)
Elmira (10-15, 4-12 E8)
Houghton (9-16, 3-13 E8)
Keuka (1-23, 0-16 E8)
Medaille begins its first season as a member of the Empire 8 in 2022-23
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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