Men's Lacrosse | 2/15/2023 1:54:47 PM
The Cardinals of St. John Fisher University will attempt to win their fourth straight Empire 8 crown, as eight teams will battle for the 2023 E8 Championship. The upcoming season gets underway with Nazareth College and Russell Sage College in non-conference action on Feb. 18. 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 3-6. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the
Empire 8 Network.
2023 Empire 8 Men's Lacrosse Players to Watch (sorted alphabetically)
Ethan Brown, Utica, Jr., D, Binghamton, NY/Chenango Forks – Brown earned All-Empire 8 third team accolades in 2022 after tallying 43 ground balls and 18 caused turnovers.
Pete Conley, Hartwick, Sr., A, Foxborough, MA/Foxborough – Conley tallied 25 points, including 23 over his final seven contests last season. He had three different five-point outings.
Jake Gallina, St. John Fisher, Sr., M, Geneva, NY/Geneva – Gallina tallied 23 goals and 31 points in 2022. He scored four goals in the 2022 Empire 8 Championship game.
Colton Keane, Medaille, So., M, LaFayette, NY/Lafayette – Keane led Medaille in scoring with 19 goals during the 2022 season. He had three different four goal games during his rookie season.
Scott Kimiecik, Alfred, Gr., GK, Randolph, NJ/Randolph – Kimiecik was named the 2022 Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year and is a two-time All-Empire 8 first team selection and two-time USILA honorable mention All-American. He tallied 10 wins and recorded a .568 save percentage last season.
Brandon MacDonell, Keuka, Sr., M, Clifton Springs, NY/Midlakes – MacDonell tallied 26 points on 11 goals and 15 assists in 2022. He will be expected to lead the Wolves offensive attack
Quinn McKercher, Nazareth, Jr., A, Lake Mary, FL/Lake Mary – McKercher earned All-Empire 8 first team honors in 2022 after scoring 50 goals and 71 points. The 2021 E8 Rookie of the Year, McKercher has 70 goals and 100 points through two seasons.
Shea Obado, Russell Sage, Gr., M, Spotswood, NJ/Sportswood – Obado tallied 22 goals, 42 ground balls and caused 12 turnovers last season. He will be counted on to play a key role on both ends of the field in 2023.
Team Capsules (Sorted by Spring 2022 Standings)
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher is looking for its fourth Empire 8 Championship in 2023 and are coming off a tremendous season in 2022, finishing 16-3, while ranked as high as No. 4 in the USILA national poll and advancing to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals will have a different look in 2023, as USILA Division III All-Americans Jordan DePetres, Ian Evans, Matt Jeffries, Nicholas Miller, Jack Mulvihill, Tucker O’Donnell Roger Panara, Joe Post and Kyle Rochester graduated. St. John Fisher, who is ranked No. 14 in the 2023 preseason United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association poll returns goalkeeper Ben Hammond, who earned All-Empire 8 second team accolades and was named the 2022 Empire 8 Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player. Senior defender Brian Jantz, a 2022 All-Empire 8 first team selection returns, along with junior attack Matthew Kemmis, a third team selection and junior face-off specialist Logan Grom, who also garnered third team honors. Kemmis had 24 goals in 2022, while senior Jacob Gallina is back after tallying 23 times. Junior midfielder Jordan Leuze recorded 39 points on 16 goals and 23 assists and will be expected to take on a greater role offensively as well. Grom won 63 percent of his face-offs taken in 2022.
Nazareth
The Golden Flyers advanced to the Empire 8 Championship game for the second straight season in 2022. Junior attack Quinn McKercher will be expected to be one of the top offensive threats in the league in 2023. He earned All-Empire 8 first team honors in 2022 after scoring 50 goals and 71 points. The 2021 E8 Rookie of the Year, McKercher has 70 goals and 100 points through two seasons. While Nazareth will look to replace former USILA All-Americans Jeremy Jacob, Jon Roth, Brett Randall and Griffin Randall, Nazareth returns 28 players from 2022. Senior midfielder Jack McOsker, attackman Greg Bilek and sophomore long stick midfielder Sean O’Brian 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. Newcomers Louis Cogliandro, Jack Seibel, Luke Suchyna and Jesse Woodill will also look to make an immediate impact.
Alfred
Alfred returns 23 players and eight starters from last season’s team that advanced to the Empire 8 semifinals for the second straight season. Scott Kimiecik, the 2022 Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year and USILA Honorable Mention All-American returns after recording 10 wins and a .568 save percentage in 2022. In addition, the Saxons return five All-Empire 8 selections, including second team selections Paul Forte and Josh Hauman in addition to third team picks Shane Cubala, Drew Cartwright and Justin Mosher. Forte led the team in scoring with 22 goals and 39 points, while Hauman added 26 goals. Cartwright had 21 goals, 16 assists, 47 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers, while Mosher led the Saxons with 22 assists and Cubala emerged as a top long stick midfielder in his rookie season. A host of talented newcomers will also look to see playing time, including attack Cole Loewke, midfielder Brendan Riley and defender Ben Cunningham.
Hartwick
The Hawks advanced to the Empire 8 Semifinals in 2022 and will look to take the next step forward this season, as 28 players, including eight starters return. Senior attack Pete Conley is back after tallying 23 points over his final seven contests in 2022. Sophomore midfielders Garrett Frost and Matt Locasto, along with classmate James Schneider, an attackman, will also be counted on to lead the way. Junior defender Nick Cacciola is back after earning All-Empire 8 second team accolades. Newcomers Jakob Day, Liam McManus and Colby Simonetti will be expected to step right in and contribute for the Hawks in 2023.
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.
Utica
The Pioneers will have a new look in 2023 under head coach Lelan Rogers, who spent 14 seasons as the defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Division I powerhouse Syracuse University. Utica returns 22 players from last season’s team, including junior defender Ethan Brown, who earned All-Empire 8 third team accolades. Junior attack Sam Serrano is Utica’s returning leading scoring after tallying 39 points on 23 goals and 16 assists, while sophomore midfielder Connor Costanza is back after a strong debut season, tallying 21 goals and 28 points. Josh Bennett returns as Utica’s after winning 53 percent of his face-offs taken in 2022, while Zach Shaler will also see plenty of time at the X. John Spoto and Andrew Sacco will also be counted on to provide leadership and strong play in 2023.
Russell Sage
Russell Sage will look to challenge for a postseason berth after returning 20 players from last season’s squad that won six games. Graduate student Bailey Martin returns after leading the team in scoring with 52 points on 36 goals and 16 assists on his way to garnering All-Empire 8 third team accolades. Classmate Shea Obado is a solid midfielder who can be counted on to produce on both ends of the field, having tallied 22 goals and 12 caused turnovers a season ago. Senior defender Jacob Peck is back after leading the team with 19 caused turnovers. Senior attack Anthony Abreu and junior midfielders Jake McElwee and Anthony Marrone will also be counted on to lead the Gators in 2023.
Keuka
Keuka will look to get back to the postseason after advancing to the Empire 8 semifinals in its first season as a league member in 2021. The Wolves return 14 players from 2022, including senior midfielder Brandon MacDonell, who tallied 26 points. Seniors Auburn Dylan Hoad, a goalkeeper and defender Zach Moyer will be key components for the Keuka defensive unit in 2023. Hoad made at least 12 saves in a game six times last season, while Moyer caused 22 turnovers. Newcomer Devon Gerhardt will look to lead the Keuka attack and provide more offense.
Medaille
Medaille makes its Empire 8 debut in 2023 and will look to contend for a postseason berth. Sophomore Colton Keane returns after leading the Mavericks in scoring during his debut season in 2022. Junior attack Matt Kennedy, defender Thomas Shemon and sophomore midfielder Max Scott will also look to lead the way. Overall, six starters return from last season’s squad, while head coach Sean Behan has brought in a strong group of newcomers, including sophomore defender Logan Schwartz, who played at SUNY Brockport in 2022 and first-year goalkeeper Colton Powers.
Final 2022 Empire 8 Men’s Lacrosse Standings
St. John Fisher (16-3, 6-0 Empire 8) – League Champions
Nazareth (9-8, 5-1 E8)
Alfred (10-5, 4-2 E8)
Hartwick (6-6, 3-3 E8)
Utica (6-9, 2-4 E8)
Russell Sage (6-10, 1-5 E8)
Keuka (3-9, 0-6 E8)
^ Medaille was a member of the United East Conference 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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