Women's Tennis | 8/31/2022 9:47:51 AM
Nazareth College will look to earn its third consecutive Empire 8 Championship, as the 2022 women’s tennis season gets underway on Sept. 1. League play is set to start on Sept. 17. The top four teams will advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place at the home of the regular season champion on Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Championship, which will take place starting in May.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the
Empire 8 Network.
Players to Watch
Chloe Esch, Houghton, Sr., Clarence, NY/Clarence – Esch led the Highlanders with six singles wins in 2021, while playing anywhere from the first to fourth positions. She garnered All-E8 honors during the Spring of 2021.
Haley Dekin, Utica, Jr., Castorland, NY/Lowville Academy – Dekin won five singles matches for the Pioneers in 2021 and will be counted on to have a strong 2022 season.
Aliya Guzman, Nazareth, Jr., Fairport, NY/Fairport – Guzman earned All-Empire 8 first team accolades in both singles and doubles in 2021 after becoming the fourth player in league history to be named Player and Rookie of the Year in the same season during the Spring of 2021. Guzman is 15-1 in singles and 16-0 in doubles against league opponents over her first two seasons.
Anna Gwozdz, Alfred, Jr., South Wales, NY/Iroquois – Gwozdz earned All-Empire 8 third team honors in doubles last season and played primarily at first singles in 2021.
Emily Jablonski, Medaille, So., Alden, NY/Alden – Jablonski led Medaille with an 8-3 record in singles and was 5-1 in conference play in 2021.
Jade Killikelly, Hartwick, So., Jamaica, NY/The Mary Louise Academy – Killikelly returns after an impressive sophomore season in which she earned All-Empire 8 first team honors in both singles and doubles after leading Hartwick to the E8 Championship match.
Emma Nuzzi, Russell Sage, Jr., Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills – Nuzzi, a transfer from Hudson Valley Community College, competed at the No. 1 singles position.
Kathryn Strait, St. John Fisher, Jr., Webster, NY/Mercy – Strait earned All-Empire 8 second team honors in singles and was a third team selection in doubles during the 2021 season.
Team Capsules (Sorted by 2021 Standings)
Nazareth
The Golden Flyers will attempt to win their third straight Empire 8 title and sixth league crown overall in 2022. Junior Aliya Guzman earned All-Empire 8 first team accolades in both singles and doubles in 2021 after becoming the fourth player in league history to be named Player and Rookie of the Year in the same season during the Spring of 2021. Guzman is 15-1 in singles and 16-0 in doubles against league opponents over her first two seasons. Sophomore Claire Pullen is back after garnering All-E8 first team accolades in both singles in doubles last season, while Lily Bulkeley was also an All-E8 second team pick in singles. Newcomers Erica Muscato and Catherine Zak will both look to make an immediate impact as first-year student-athletes.
Hartwick
The Hawks advanced to their first Empire 8 Championship match in program history last season and are looking to build off that momentum with their first league title in 2022. Junior Jade Killikelly returns after an impressive sophomore season in which she earned All-Empire 8 first team honors in both singles and doubles. Sophomores Ryann Ashby and Colleen Marsh earned All-E8 individual honors last season, as Ashby was a second team pick and Marsh was a third team selection. Newcomers Damita Bollers and Phoebe Olson will vie for time in the starting lineup for a deep Hartwick team in 2022.
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher will look to earn its second Empire 8 title in the last four seasons this fall. Last season, the Cardinals advanced to the E8 Semifinals after winning the league title in 2019 and finishing as the runner-up in Spring 2021. Junior Kathryn Strait, an All-Empire 8 second team selection in singles and third team pick in doubles, will be counted on to lead the Cardinals in 2022. Classmate Madison Galvin is back after earning All-E8 first team plaudits in doubles and second team honors in singles. Newcomers Eliana Kelly, Grace Fisher and Tianna Buttino will look to contribute right away for the Cardinals.
Houghton
Houghton will look to earn its fourth consecutive berth in the Empire 8 Tournament this season and make a run towards its first league title in 2022. The Highlanders were one point away from defeating eventual league champion Nazareth in the 2021 E8 Semifinals. Classmate Elise Swanson returns after earning All-E8 honors in each of her first three seasons. Esch was a third team pick last spring. Returning veterans Tessa Brown, Marilynn Amborski and Gariana-Christie Valentin give Houghton strong depth for the 2022 season.
Alfred
The Saxons will look to make it back to the Empire 8 Tournament in 2022 after coming up one point shy of a postseason berth last season. Junior Anna Gwodz, sophomore Abigail Call and sophomore Macy Youngberg will be counted on to lead the Saxons. Gwozdz competed primarily at first singles last fall and earned All-E8 third team accolades with Call at third doubles. Call won six matches at singles on her way to also garnering All-E8 third team individual accolades. Youngberg earned valuable experience at second singles in 2021. Claire Lander, Alina Zabihailo and Varda Anand enter the new season as first-year talents aiming to make a positive impact for the program.
Utica
The Pioneers will have a new look in 2022, with seven newcomers on the roster. Junior Ellen Lyga returns after suffering a season-ending injury early in 2021. Lyga was an All-Empire 8 first team selection in both singles and doubles during the COVID-shortened spring 2021 season. Haley Dekin returns after winning five singles matches in 2021, while Victoria Vo and Patera Heeren will both also be counted on to play a big role for the Pioneers in 2022.
Russell Sage
Michael Branche takes over as Russell Sage’s Head Coach after serving as the team’s assistant coach in 2021-2022. The Gators will look to get back to the Empire 8 Tournament in 2022. Emma Nuzzi joins the Gators after playing at the No. 1 position at Hudson Valley Community College. Gwen Eichen and Maria Inserra were also mainstays in the lineup for the Gators last season and will be counted on in 2022.
Medaille
Medaille University makes its Empire 8 debut in 2022 for head coach Ken White. The Mavericks went 8-6 in 2021-22, earning a berth in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference semifinals. Medaille, which made the AMCC Semifinals in three of the last four seasons, has five players returning from last year’s team, including sophomore Emily Jablonski, who was 8-3 in singles. Arianna Lysiak earned seven singles wins, while Ali Richardson won five matches for the Mavericks in 2021. Angelina Edgar and Emily Woelffel will look to step right into the lineup.
Final 2021 Empire 8 Women’s Tennis Standings
Nazareth (9-5, 6-0 E8) – League Champions
Hartwick (12-4, 5-1 E8)
St. John Fisher (6-8, 4-2 E8)
Houghton (4-14, 3-3 E8)
Alfred (4-10, 2-4 E8)
Utica (3-7, 1-5 E8)
Russell Sage (0-10, 0-6 E8)
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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