Field Hockey | 8/29/2022 9:47:33 AM
St. John Fisher College will look to garner its third straight Empire 8 Championship, as the 2022 season gets underway on Sept. 1, with several teams in action. League play begins on Sept. 10. The top six teams will advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place with first round action on Wednesday, Nov. 2, semifinal contests on Friday, Nov. 4 and the championship game on Sunday, Nov. 6. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2022 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the
Empire 8 Network.
Empire 8 Field Hockey Players to Watch
Lindsay Diggan, Washington & Jefferson, Sr., M, Sinking Spring, PA/Governor Mifflin – Diggan garnered All-Empire 8 second team accolades in 2021 after recording 14 points on six goals and a pair of assists.
Alyssa Fitzgerald, Russell Sage, Sr., F, Queensbury, NY/Queensbury – Fitzgerald led the Gators in scoring last season with 12 points on five goals and two assists.
Sydney Gagnon, Hartwick, Jr., M, Chestertown, NY/North Warren – Gagnon was named the 2019 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and is a two-time All-Empire 8 first team selection. She has 16 goals and 39 points over her first 26 career games.
Jace Hunzinger, Houghton, Sr., F, Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy – Hunzinger was named the 2021 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and earned All-E8 second team accolades in 2021 after recording 24 points on six goals and a league-best 12 assists.
Makaela Mills, Keuka, Sr., M, Afton, NY/Afton – Mills returns for her senior year after recording 12 points in 2021 on three goals and six assists.
Mackenzie Mix, Utica, So., M, Camden, NY/Camden – Mix garnered All-Empire 8 third team accolades after recording 16 points on three goals and 10 assists in her debut season. A three-sport star, Mix was also the 2022 Empire 8 Outdoor Track and Field Track Athlete and Rookie of the Year as a standout sprinter.
Gianna Palma, St. John Fisher, Gr., M, Rochester, NY/Brighton – Palma, a four-time All-Empire 8 selection, enters her final season with 28 goals, 24 assists and 80 points in 66 career games.
Kylie Rosen, Elmira, Sr., F, East Amherst, NY/Williamsville North – Rosen is an E8 Player to Watch for the second straight year. Rosen will lead Elmira’s offense after tallying four points in 2021.
Bailey Selman, Nazareth, Sr., F, Fairfield, PA/Fairfield Area – Selman garnered All-Empire 8 second team accolades in 2021 and enters her fourth season with 14 goals and 39 points in 44 career games.
Kylie Tolsma, Medaille, Jr., F/M, Buffalo, NY/Sweet Home – Tolsma will be counted on to lead Medaille’s offense after tallying four points in seven games last season.
Team Capsules (Sorted by 2021 Standings)
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher earned its second straight Empire 8 title in 2021 and has won 24 straight regular season contests in league play dating back to 2018. The Cardinals return all but three players from last season’s team for first-year head coach Lauren Scorza. St. John Fisher will try to replace Bre Socker, the Empire 8’s all-time leading scorer, two-time E8 Player of the Year and the league’s first-ever five-time first team selection. She finished her illustrious career with 231 points on 95 goals and 41 assists. Three-time All-Empire 8 pick Gianna Palma will be counted on to play a key leadership role in 2022. Palma has 28 goals and 24 assists in her St. John Fisher career. Overall, five 2021 all-conference selections return this fall for St. John Fisher, including sophomore Selena Emery, the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year, classmate Molly Fisher, defender Rileigh Luste and goalkeeper Sophia Trozzi.
Hartwick
The Hawks enter the 2022 season looking to earn their second E8 title in the last four seasons. The Hawks return 20 players from last season’s team that went 7-1 in Empire 8 play, including 2019 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and three-time All-E8 first team selection Sydney Gagnon. Gagnon has 59 points in 42 career games for the Hawks. Fellow All-Empire 8 first team selections Julie Ruzzi and Emily Strutt, along with third team selections Lex Matarazzo, Makenzie Kensel, Madison Maddocks and senior Leah Tolley will also serve as team leaders in 2022.
Utica
The Pioneers advanced to the 2021 Empire 8 Championship game but will have a new look up front in 2022, as four of their top five scorers graduated. Up front, Utica returns senior Shannon Jedreicich, who tallied 26 points on 11 goals and four assists and sophomore Mackenzie Mix, who recorded three goals and 10 assists. Defensively, All-Empire 8 first team selection Chloe Williams is back for her final season, while Kylee Wojciechowski returns after missing 2021 due to injury. Transfer Sarah Huller, along with fellow newcomers Kassidy Gloude and Samantha Young will look to step right in and contribute.
Nazareth
Nazareth advanced to the Empire 8 Championship game in 2019 and was a semifinalist in each of the last two seasons. Seniors Caroline Desautels, Bailey Selman, and Grace Wasilkeski and sophomore Bella Rehermann will lead the team up front and in the middle this season. Selman and Desautels were both All-Empire 8 second team selections in 2021. The Golden Flyers will have to replace the production of three-time All-Empire 8 selection Amanda Chuttey, who was also named the 2021 E8 Goalkeeper of the Year.
Washington & Jefferson
Washington & Jefferson is looking to get back to the top of the conference standings after winning back-to-back league titles in 2017 and 2018. The Presidents return eight players from last season’s team but will have a new look on the bench, as Maggie Fees takes over as interim head coach for the 2022 season. The Presidents return their top three scorers from last season, junior forward Hailey Wachowiak and senior midfielders Lindsay Diggan and Lina Crowley. Wachowiak and Diggan both earned All-Empire 8 second team honors in 2021. In addition, sophomore defender Ella Phillips will look to take on a greater role after a strong debut in 2021.
Houghton
Houghton will look to get back to the postseason in 2022 and return 12 players and nine starters from last season’s squad, including 2021 All-Empire 8 second team selections Jace Hunzinger and Deborah Cross. Hunzinger recorded 24 points on six goals and a league-best 12 assists last season en route to being named the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year. Senior Peyton Bentley and sophomore Bekah Davie will also be counted on to lead the offense in 2022.
Russell Sage
Nick Pontari will take the reins as interim head field hockey coach this season. The Gators of Russell Sage return 10 players from last season’s team that won a pair of league games. Senior Alyssa Fitzgerald returns after leading the Gators in scoring with 12 points on five goals and two assists. Fellow veterans Kyndra Riche, Shauna Lanoue and Madalyn Milligan will be counted on to play an even greater role for the Gators in 2022.
Keuka
The Wolves will look to continue to grow in their second as an Empire 8 member. A majority of the roster will be new for the Wolves in 2022. Head Coach Erika Profenno brought in a talented recruiting class that will be tasked with helping to replace the 76 percent of the goal scoring that Keuka lost in the off season. Keuka will have leaders at all levels of the field with Kirstin Billings, Makaela Mills, Erin Patterson and Jillian McGinley that will aid in the development of the freshmen.
Elmira
The Soaring Eagles return 11 players from last season’s squad for new head coach Lauren Thomas, who was a standout goalkeeper for the Purple and Gold from 2010-13. Senior Kylie Rosen will be counted on to lead Elmira’s offense after tallying 15 points over the last few seasons. Classmates Jenna Heiser, Hannah Whittier, Kari Jensen and Kathryn Kielbasinski will play a much greater role for Elmira in 2022.
Medaille
Medaille makes its Empire 8 debut in 2022 after playing seven games in its inaugural season as a program in 2021. The Mavericks return seven players, including Kylie Tolsma, Regan Haberl, Morgan Kramer, Skyler Holman, Kendall Wier and goalkeeper Kristyn Clare for new head coach Joan Johnson.
Final 2021 Empire 8 Field Hockey Standings
St. John Fisher (12-8, 8-0 E8)
– League Champions
Hartwick (11-5, 7-1 E8)
Utica (10-9, 6-2 E8)
Nazareth (6-11, 5-3 E8)
Washington & Jefferson (5-8, 3-5 E8)
Houghton (5-11, 3-5 E8)
Russell Sage (3-13, 2-6 E8)
Keuka (6-10, 2-6 E8)
Elmira (1-13, 0-8 E8)
^ Medaille makes 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
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