Men's Lacrosse | 2/15/2022 10:09:38 PM
The Cardinals of St. John Fisher will attempt to win its third straight Empire 8 crown, as seven teams will battle for the 2022 E8 Championship. The upcoming season gets underway with Russell Sage and Nazareth in non-conference action on Feb. 16. League play formally begins on March 25. The top four teams will advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place from May 4-7. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2022 NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the
Empire 8 Network.
Empire 8 Players to Watch
Joe Post, St. John Fisher, Gr., F/O, Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy – Post was named a 2021 USILA First Team All-American (first in St. John Fisher program history) and is a 2022 Preseason All-American for the third straight year after winning 70.6 percent of his face-offs taken last season.
Dylan Ferguson, Hartwick, Sr., M, Baldwin, NY/Baldwin – Ferguson recorded 20 points as a first-year standout in 2019 and added four goals and six points in two games during the shortened 2020 season.
Jeremy Jacob, Nazareth, Gr., A, Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon – Jacob was a 2021 USILA Honorable Mention All-American and Scholar All-American after recording 22 goals and 36 points.
Scott Kimiecik, Alfred, Sr., GK, Randolph, NJ/Randolph – Kimiecik earned 2021 All-Empire 8 first team honors after leading the Saxons to six wins and a .550 save percentage last season.
Bailey Martin, Russell Sage, Sr., A, Syracuse, NY/Onondaga Central – Martin tallied 12 points in three games last season. He scored Russell Sage’s first goal in program history as a freshman in 2019.
Kevin Parisi, Utica, Sr., D, Harlem, NY/Forsyth Satellite Academy – Parisi is a two-time All-Empire 8 selection, recorded 27 ground balls and 23 caused turnovers in just six games in 2021.
Seth Spurgeon, Keuka, Jr., A, Chittenango, NY/Chittenango – Spurgeon, who also exceled with the Keuka men’s soccer team, can serve as Keuka’s face-off specialist and provide plenty of offense.
Team Capsules (Sort by 2021 Standings)
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher is looking for the Empire 8 three-peat in 2022 and are coming off a brilliant season in 2021, finishing 12-4 and advancing to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals return a national-best seven 2022 USILA Division III Preseason All-Americans, graduate students Matt Jeffries, Nicholas Miller, Jack Mulvihill and Roger Panara and Joe Post, along with seniors Ian Evans and Kyle Rochester. Miller, the 2021 Empire 8 Championship Most Valuable Player, enters his final season as St. John Fisher’s all-time leading scorer with 180 goals and 256 career points. Evans, the 2021 Empire 8 Player of the Year, led the league in scoring with 48 goals and 76 points in 2021. Post was named St. John Fisher’s first-ever USILA First Team All-American in 2021 after winning 71 percent of his face-offs taken The Cardinals are ranked No. 9 in the 2022 preseason United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association poll.
Nazareth
The Golden Flyers advanced to the Empire 8 Championship game in 2021. A full schedule and the infusion of some experienced transfer students should lead to improvement for Nazareth in 2022. Graduate student Jeremy Jacob and senior Jon Roth were 2021 USILA Honorable Mention All-Americans, while sophomore attack Quinn McKercher was the 2021 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year. Senior defender Griffin Randall, along with Division I transfers Brett Randall, Braeden McKercher and Nate Anderson will look to lift Nazareth to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2017. The Golden Flyers won Division III National Championships in 1992, 1996 and 1997.
Utica
The Pioneers started the 2021 season with a 5-1 mark. Justin Patterson will serve as interim head coach for the 2022 season after the sudden passing of head coach Mike Parnell. Utica returns plenty of experience, including senior defender Kevin Parisi, a 2019 and 2021 All-Empire 8 selection and classmates John Avery and James Daniele. Parisi recorded 27 ground balls and 23 caused turnovers in just six games last year. Avery earned all-conference honors in 2021, while Daniele had 12 goals and 21 points six games. Senior Josh Bennett returns as Utica’s top face-off threat after winning 50 percent of his draws in 2021.
Alfred
Alfred returns 28 players and eight starters from last season’s team that advanced to the Empire 8 semifinals. While Alfred will have to replace All-Americans, face-off specialist Garrette Briggs and defenseman Shane Weber, the Saxons return plenty of firepower on both sides of the field. Four All-Conference selections are back for Alfred, including junior attackers Paul Forte and Justin Mosher, junior defender Dawson Felenchak and senior goalkeeper Scott Kimiecik. Mosher tallied 42 points in nine games last season, while Forte had 27 points in seven games.
Keuka
Keuka advanced to the Empire 8 semifinals in its first season as a league member in 2021. The Wolves return junior midfielder Chris Bellanca, who tied for the team lead in goals during the 2021 season. In addition, junior attack Seth Spurgeon, who also excels for the Keuka men’s soccer team is set to make a key impact in addition to Will York. Overall, 16 players and seven starters return from last season’s squad.
Russell Sage
Russell Sage will look to challenge for a postseason berth after returning 18 players from last season’s squad. Senior Bailey Martin tallied 12 points to lead team in scoring last season, while he and junior Anthony Abreu each tallied 19 points in 2020. That duo, along with graduate transfer Hunter Brunelle will be expected to carry the Gators offense in 2022. Senior Shea Obado will lead the midfield, while classmate Michael Capitelli is expected to see plenty of time in goal during the 2022 season.
Hartwick
The Hawks return to the field for the first time since the start of the 2020 season. The Hawks last played a full Empire 8 schedule in 2019, advancing to the league semifinals. Senior midfielder Dylan Ferguson recorded 20 points as a first-year standout in 2019 and added four goals and six points in two games during the shortened 2020 season. Fellow senior midfielder Zack Orth, along with goalkeeper Jared Tiong-Smith will look to lead the Hawks on and off the field in 2022.
Final 2021 Empire 8 Men’s Lacrosse Standings
St. John Fisher (12-4, 3-0 Empire 8) – League Champions
Nazareth (4-7, 2-1 E8)
Utica (5-1, 2-1 E8)
Alfred (6-3, 2-2 E8)
Keuka (0-5, 0-4 E8)
Russell Sage (1-2, 0-1 E8)
^ Elmira, Hartwick and Houghton opted out of league play for the 2021 spring season.
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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