Alfred University Looks for Three-Peat, as 2023 Empire 8 Softball Season Draws Near

Softball | 3/2/2023 10:24:55 PM

Alfred University will look to earn its third straight Empire 8 Championship, as nine teams will battle for the 2023 league title. The upcoming season is set to get underway in early March with league play beginning on April 7-9. Five teams will advance to the Empire 8 Tournament, which will take place first with the fourth place team hosting the fifth place team in a play-in game on May 9, followed by a double-elimination four-team tournament at the home of the regular season champion and top-seed from May 11-13. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Division III Softball Championship.
 
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the Empire 8 Network.
   
Emily Daciw, Nazareth, Sr., P, Angelica, NY/Genesee Valley – Daciw was named the 2022 Empire 8 Pitcher of the Year and earned first team honors after striking out 160 batters in 124 2/3 innings, while throwing 15 complete games last season.
 
Helena Hill, Keuka, Sr, SS/OF, Akron, NY/Akron – Hill hit .338 last season for the Wolves and was an All-Empire 8 second team selection in 2021. She is a .373 hitter in two seasons at Keuka.
 
Emily Joss, Utica, Gr., 2B/SS, South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls – Joss earned All-Empire 8 first team accolades in 2022 after hitting .404 with four home runs, 25 RBI and a 1.073 OPS. She was also an All-E8 third team pick in 2021.
 
Allie Klonowski, St. John Fisher, Jr., OF, Buffalo, NY/Clarence – Klonowski earned All-Empire 8 and NFCA All-Region first team accolades after hitting .400 and slugging .783 with 22 extra-base hits, including 10 home runs and 36 RBI.
 
Ashley Lugo, Alfred, Gr., SS, Hesperia, CA/Oak Hills – Lugo, an NFCA All-American in 2021, garnered All-E8 first team honors for the second straight year in 2022. She was among the national leaders with 48 stolen bases and. enters her final year with an Empire 8 career record 137 stolen bases, which is also 13th all-time in Division III.
 
Amelia Martin, Elmira, Sr., OF, Athens, PA/Athens Area – Martin returns after earning All-Empire 8 second team honors in 2022. She hit .377 with 43 hits, 18 extra-base hits, two homers, 26 RBI and a 1.012 OPS.
 
Arianna Papas, Russell Sage, Gr., OF, Castleton, NY/Maple Hill – Papas was the 2022 Empire 8 Co-Player of the Year and earned NFCA All-Region first team accolades after hitting .476 and slugging .819 with 22 extra-base hits, including five home runs and 30 RBI in 36 games. She has an incredible .503 batting average and .822 slugging percentage in two seasons with the Gators.
 
Lydia Peterson, Houghton, Sr., OF, Franklin, PA/Rocky Grove – Peterson returns after earning All-Empire 8 second team accolades in 2022. She hit .393 with 19 RBI and also scored 34 runs and stealing eight bases for the Highlanders.
 
Shay Sommer, Medaille, Sr., OF, Grand Island, NY/Grand Island – Sommer garnered All-Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference first team accolades in 2022 after leading the team with a .341 batting average and .496 slugging percentage, while driving in 34 runs.
 
Alfred
The Saxons are the two-time defending Empire 8 Champions and look to become the first three-time repeat champions since St. John Fisher from 2017-19. The Saxons went 26-16 in 2022 and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Alfred returns several All-League, All-Region and All-American peformers from the last two seasons. Graduate student Ashley Lugo, an NFCA All-American in 2021, garnered All-E8 first team honors for the second straight year in 2022. She was among the national leaders with 48 stolen bases and. enters her final year with an Empire 8 career record 137 stolen bases, which is also 13th all-time in Division III. All-American Allison O’Toole returns, along with 2021 E8 Rookie of the Year Mya Wells, 2022 E8 Rookie of the Year Meghan Neto. On the mound All-Empire 8 selections, Megan Bennett and Mikaela Perez in addition to Arden Hatch give the Saxons tremendous depth. All three student-athletes pitched between 79 and 109 innings last season, while Bennett excelled in the postseason, earning Empire 8 Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player honors.
 
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher will look to win its eighth Empire 8 Championship in 2023 after advancing to the title game for the second straight year in 2022. Junior Allie Klonowski, the 2022 Empire 8 Co-Player of the Year, returns as one of the top power hitters in the region. She earned All-NFCA All-Region first team accolades after hitting .414 and slugging .828 with 22 extra-base hits, including 12 home runs and 39 RBI. She has 22 homers and 75 RBI over the last two seasons. All-Empire 8 first team selection, Mari Spitz, a catcher, is back after a tremendous debut season, in which she hit .349. Amalia DeMartino and Maddie Donlin are also back after earning All-E8 third team accolades. The Cardinals will be very deep in the pitching circle, as All-E8 first team selection Ainsley Evanetski returns for her sophomore season. She went 8-3 with a 2.97 earned run average and 91 strikeouts in 99 innings. Senior Jess Patterson earned NFCA All-Region and All-Empire 8 first team accolades in 2021 after finishing 16-4 with 15 complete games, five shutouts and 127 strikeouts in 129 innings. In addition, Cassidy Ormond won seven games last season and garnered All-E8 second team accolades.
 
Russell Sage
The Gators earned their second straight Empire 8 postseason berth in 2022, garnering the No. 3 seed in the Empire 8 postseason tournament. Russell Sage returns 12 players, including three All-Empire 8 first team and NFCA All-Region first team performers from a season ago, graduate students Arianna Papas and Taylor DiCranian. was the 2022 Empire 8 Co-Player of the Year and earned NFCA All-Region first team accolades after hitting .476 and slugging .819 with 22 extra-base hits, including five home runs and 30 RBI in 36 games. She has an incredible .503 batting average and .822 slugging percentage in two seasons with the Gators. DiCranian also garnered NFCA All-Region accolades after batting .336 with three home runs and 26 RBI in addition to winning eight games in the pitcher’s circle with 12 complete games and a 3.22 earned run average. Senior infielder Katelyn Rice will also be counted on to provide offense for the Gators in 2023 after hitting .313 in 2022.
 
Nazareth
Nazareth will look to earn its second straight trip to the Empire 8 Tournament in 2023 and have 12 veterans returning and eight starters returning. Outfielder Sarah Simmons, a graduate student, returns after earning All-Empire 8 first team accolades in 2022. She was among the E8’s top hitters in 2021 as she batted .397 with two home runs and 30 RBI, while record a .996 OPS. Senior Emily Daciw was named the 2022 Empire 8 Pitcher of the Year and earned first team honors after striking out 160 batters in 124 2/3 innings, while throwing 15 complete games last season. Daciw struck out at least 10 batters in a game seven times, including a career-high 17. Senior first baseman Justine Brooks and junior shortstop Cassidy Hoffmier are both mainstays in the starting lineup, along with junior catcher Marissa Berghorn. Brooks earned All-E8 third team accolades after hitting .303 to go along with 31 runs scored in 2022.
 
 
Houghton
The Highlanders enjoyed their most successful season in program history in 2022, winning a team record 20 games, while in contention for an Empire 8 postseason berth until the final weekend of the regular season. Head coach Chad Muise and his staff won 2022 Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year honors. Houghton returns 11 players from last season but will have to replace the left side of its infield, 2022 All-Empire first team selections Hannah Haskell and Grace Thompson. Senior outfielder Lydia Peterson returns after earning All-Empire 8 second team accolades in 2022. She hit .393 with 19 RBI and also scored 34 runs and stealing eight bases for the Highlanders. In addition, senior pitcher Kayla Loomis, who earned All-Empire second team honors, won 12 games and threw 163 innings. She is tied for the program record in wins. Jen Page, an All-E8 third team pick in 2021, returns after spending the semester abroad in 2022.  Senior Elise Swanson and junior Carlee Miller will also be counted on to lead Houghton.
 
Utica
The Pioneers welcome home a familiar face, as former standout player Rinae Olsen, a four-year starter for the Pioneers and 2009 graduate, begins her first season as head coach. Utica returns several impact players from the last season, including infielder Emily Joss and catcher Abigail Sacks. Joss earned All-Empire 8 first team accolades in 2022 after hitting .404 with four home runs, 25 RBI and a 1.073 OPS. She was also an All-E8 third team pick in 2021. Sacks was an All-E8 second team pick last season, while also hitting four home runs as a catcher. Sophomore Lauren Paul will be counted on to play a larger role in 2023, while junior Bailey McElwain is back after missing all but two games due to injury last season. Junior outfielder Julia Phelps is a two-time All-Empire 8 selection in her first two seasons, while pitchers Kylie Murray and Jordan Conte return. First-year pitcher Maggie Habernig and outfielder Maddie Zulager will look to earn immediate playing time.
 
Elmira
Elmira returns 12 players and six starters from last season’s team that won 16 games. Senior outfielder Amelia Martin returns after earning All-Empire 8 second team honors in 2022. She hit .377 with 43 hits, 18 extra-base hits, two homers, 26 RBI and a 1.012 OPS. Classmate Madison Brown-Bloom also emerged as a strong offensive option last season, leading the team with three homers, while tying Martin for the team lead in RBI with 26. Junior infielders Kaitlyn Belmont and Katie DiStefano are experienced veterans who will contribute both offensively and defensively. First-year pitcher Madison Lodowski will look to emerge as Elmira’s top hurler in 2023. The Soaring Eagles will make its first trip south to North Carolina to open the season since the 2014 season. 
 
Keuka
Keuka will look to get back to the Empire 8 postseason in 2023 after earning a berth in its first season as a league member in 2021. Senior middle infielder Helena Hill in addition to junior pitcher/first baseman Emily Van Delinder and senior Kelsey Mohl and will be counted on to lead the Wolves in 2023. Hill has hit .372 in her first two seasons at Keuka, while Mohl batted .333 in 2022 with two home runs and 23 RBI. Overall, five starters return from 2022. Head Coach Jamie Burke has won 304 games at Keuka in her 17-year career, which are the most by any coach in any sport in Keuka College history.
 
Medaille
Medaille makes its Empire 8 debut after finishing 25-16 and advancing to day two of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championship Tournament. The Mavericks bring back an experienced group of veterans, while adding 12 talented first-year players who will add energy. Senior outfielder Shay Sommer is back after earning All-AMCC first team honors in 2022. She led the team with a .341 batting average, while driving in 34 runs. Junior pitcher Kaitlyn Alguire went 14-9 on the mound with a 2.61 earned run average and 13 complete games. Abigail Doherty returns after tying for the team lead with 10 doubles. Newcomers Breena Komarnisky, Kaylee Drago and Destiny Avila lead a talented group looking to gain playing time.
 
Final 2022 Empire 8 Softball Standings
Alfred (26-16, 11-3 E8) – League Champions
St. John Fisher (18-19, 11-3 Empire 8)
Russell Sage (15-21, 8-6 E8)
Nazareth (18-19, 8-6 E8)
Houghton (20-17, 6-8 E8)
Utica (14-24, 6-8 E8)
Elmira (16-15, 5-9 E8)
Keuka (4-24, 1-13 E8)
 
^ Medaille was a member of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference in 2022
 
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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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