Nazareth Looks to Repeat as Empire 8 Women’s Soccer Champions in 2022

Women's Soccer | 8/25/2022 8:46:52 AM

Nazareth College will look to repeat as Empire 8 Champions, as the 2022 season gets underway on Sept. 1. League play for the 10-team conference begins on Sept. 17. The top six teams will advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place with first round action on Tuesday, Nov. 1, semifinal round games on Thursday, Nov. 3 and the championship two days later on Saturday, Nov. 5. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2022 NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship.
 
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the Empire 8 Network.
   
Gianna Cacciola, Hartwick, Jr., F, Wading River, NY/Shoreham Wading River – Cacciola earned All-Empire 8 third team accolades last season and was named to the E8 Championship All-Tournament Team.
 
Grace DeCapua, Keuka, Jr., F, Allegany, NY/Allegany-Limestone – DeCapua led Keuka in scoring last season with 11 points on five goals and an assist.
 
Isabella Finley, Medaille, Jr., M, North Tonawanda, NY/North Tonawanda – Finley played in 13 games for Medaille in 2021 and will be counted to lead the Mavericks in the middle as they make their E8 debut.
 
Ro Hernandez, Utica, Gr., M/F, Carmel, NY/Kennedy Catholic – Hernandez earned All-Empire 8 first team accolades in 2021 after tallying 22 points on 10 goals and two assists.
 
McKayla Hughes, Nazareth, Sr., M, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ/Point Pleasant – Hughes is a two-time All-Empire 8 first team selection (2019 and Spring 2021). She has 10 goals and 27 points in 38 career games for the Golden Flyers.
 
Jennifer Kirker, St. John Fisher, Sr., D, Rexford, NY/Shenedehowa – Kirker earned All-Empire 8 first team honors in 2021, as she helped lead St. John Fisher to the E8 Championship game.
 
Sarah Potocki, Houghton, Sr., M/D, Flourtown, PA/Springfield Township – Potocki was an All-Empire 8 second team selection in 2021 after scoring 11 goals, while adding four assists.
 
Natalie Ricci, Russell Sage, Gr., F, Cohoes, NY/Cohoes – Ricci will look to earn All-Empire 8 first team accolades for the fourth straight season in 2022. Last year, she ranked fifth in the conference with 20 points and has 23 career goals and 53 points in three seasons.
 
Kayla Silverstein, Alfred, So., F, North Chili, NY/Churchville-Chili – Silverstein was an All-Empire 8 third team selection for the Saxons in 2021 after tallying six goals and 15 points.
 
Neveah Winston, Elmira, So., GK, Wilson, NY/Mount Saint Mary Academy – Winston led all Empire 8 goalkeepers with 168 saves, 9.88 saves per game and an .857 save percentage in 2021.
   
Nazareth
Nazareth returns six starters and 18 players from last season’s team that went 7-1 in league play, won the Empire 8 Championship and competed in the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Tournament. While Nazareth lost four All-Empire 8 first team selections from last season’s roster to graduation, there is plenty of experience in its quest to earn back-to-back league titles. Seniors McKayla Hughes, Sydney Moss and Megan McCraith, all former E8 first team selections, along with sophomore goalkeeper Annika Monfort, the reigning Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year, are set to lead Nazareth. Five-time Empire 8 Coach of the Year Gail Mann will look to lead the Golden Flyers to their 12th league title in program history in her 30th season as coach. She has a career record of 343-151-62 (.673 winning percentage) and ranks among the top active coaches in Division III. She has a record of 135-20-14 (.840) in conference games.
 
Alfred
Alfred is coming off its finest season in program history in 2021, finishing 11-5-5, including a 5-1-2 record in E8 play to earn the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament. While the Saxons will have to replace All-Empire 8 first team selections Abigail Austin and Katline Cartwright, seven starters and 17 letterwinners return, including junior defender Jacey Palmgreen and sophomore forward Kayla Silverstein. Both student-athletes earned All-Empire 8 third team accolades. Sophomore midfielder Alyssa Smith in addition to senior goalkeeper Hannah Fuller will also lead the Saxons in 2022, as they look to win their first E8 title.
 
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher will look to contend for its first Empire 8 title in 2022 after winning 10 games and advancing to the championship game last season. The Cardinals return four All-Empire 8 selections last season in Jenn Kirker (first team), Emma Spleman (second team), Tori Cruz (third team) and Kayla Rhude (third team). The Cardinals will have to find ways to replace the scoring provided from four-time All-E8 selection and 2021 Empire 8 Player of the Year Carli Kovarik, who scored a league-best 15 goals last season and 33 in her St. John Fisher career. Head coach Molly Romano has brought in a strong group of newcomers who will vie for playing time, including Avery Burnes, Ryann Dauska, Jessica Gale and Jackie Gervias.
 
Hartwick
The Hawks return 17 players, including 10 starters from last season’s team that advanced to the Empire 8 Semifinals. Senior goalkeeper Sara Staup and junior midfielder Madi McGuire earned All-Empire 8 second team honors in 2021, while senior midfielder Nicole Conway and junior forward Gianna Cacciola earned third team accolades. Cacciola, who scored a hat-trick in the Empire 8 Tournament first round win over Utica, led the Hawks in scoring with 21 points on seven goals and seven assists. In addition, seniors Hannah Bochniak and Arianna Alvarez will lead a deep Hartwick team in 2022.
 
Utica
The Pioneers return 19 players and seven starters from last season’s team that advanced to first round of the Empire 8 Tournament. Graduate student Ro Hernandez will be counted on to lead the offense after recording 22 points on 10 goals and two assists en route to earning All-Empire 8 first team accolades. Fellow veterans Jenna Keeman and Erin Stalder, along with Kaela Mochak are back to provide strong play and leadership. In goal, Courtney Connolly played in 14 games last season and had two shutouts.
 
Russell Sage
The Gators of Russell Sage College will look to get back to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament in 2022. Russell Sage won their first Empire 8 Championship during the Spring of 2021 and returns nine starters and 18 players from last fall, including three-time All-Empire 8 first team selections Natalie Ricci. Ricci has 23 goals and 53 points in her first three seasons, while junior defender Allison Basila and sophomore defender Amelia Geesler will also be counted to lead the Gators.
 
Keuka
Keuka College has a young core of players that saw significant playing time in 2021, its first season in the Empire 8. That will hope to pay off this season as the same core of the team returns with a year of experience in addition to a talented group of newcomers. Graduate student Renee Vito, a center back, returns for her graduate year. She has been a leader since her first day on campus at Keuka, being named North Eastern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a freshman and Keuka’s first All-Empire 8 selection last season. Junior forward Grace DeCapua in addition to senior midfielder Elena Paolini and sophomore forward Peyton Miller will also be counted to lead Keuka in 2022.
 
Elmira
The Soaring Eagles will look to return to the Empire 8 Tournament in 2022 under head coach Bill Kelly, who recently served in the same role at Bard College. The Soaring Eagles return 15 players, including nine starters from last season’s team, including midfielders Rachel Bortnick and Sarah Wagner and goalkeeper Nevaeh Winston. Winston led all Empire 8 goalkeepers with 168 saves, 9.88 saves per game and an .857 save percentage in 2021. In addition, newcomers Sophia Tarntino and Piper Andrews will look to contribute right away.
 
Houghton
Houghton will look to get back to the Empire 8 Tournament under head coach Esther Webb, who served in the same role at fellow E8 institution Elmira College in 2021. Webb earned eight varsity letters as a dual-sport student-athlete in soccer and basketball for the Highlanders. Houghton returns 12 players from last season’s team, including six starters. Senior Sarah Potocki was an All-Empire 8 second team selection in 2021 after scoring 11 goals and 26 points. She will be counted on to lead the Houghton attack in 2022, along with classmate Moriah Steffen, who also earned All-E8 second team accolades last season. Forward Mikayla Simmons and goalkeeper Megan Merrifield will also be counted on to lead the way for the Highlanders this season.
 
Medaille
Medaille makes its Empire 8 women’s soccer debut in 2022. The Mavericks competed in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference and advanced to the first round of the conference tournament in 2021. Medaille returns 14 players from last season’s team, including junior midfielder Isabella Finley and center back Kelsey Matuszak, who is back for her final year as a graduate student. Head coach Angela Nicholas-Tolsma has brought in several promising newcomers, including Reyna Hermoza, Gabriella DiGirolamo and T’Mia Kitchings.
 
Final 2021 Empire 8 Women’s Soccer Standings
Nazareth (10-7-3, 7-1-0 E8, 21 points) – League Champions
Alfred (11-5-5, 5-1-2 E8, 17 points)
St. John Fisher (10-6-1, 5-2-1 E8, 16 points)
Hartwick (7-6-4, 4-2-2 E8, 14 points)
Utica (8-8-1, 4-3-1 E8, 13 points)
Russell Sage (8-8-2, 3-4-1 E8, 10 points)
Keuka (3-11-3, 2-4-2 E8, 8 points)
Elmira (3-12-3, 0-6-2 E8, 2 points)
Houghton (6-10-1, 0-7-1 E8, 1 point)
 
^ Medaille is set to make its Empire 8 debut in 2022
 
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 YouTube
 
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