2024 Empire 8 Women’s Lacrosse Season Preview

Women's Lacrosse | 2/19/2024 3:46:56 PM

St. John Fisher will look for its 12th straight Empire 8 title, as seven teams will battle for the 2024 E8 Championship. The upcoming season gets underway with E8 newcomer Nazareth University and Utica University set to play non-league contests on February 24, as league play begins on March 29. The top four teams will advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place from May 1-4. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2024 NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse Championship.
 
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the Empire 8 Network.
   
Julia Bauder, Keuka, Sr., M, Cazenovia, NY/Cazenovia – Bauder was off to a tremendous start in 2023, recording 13 goals and 14 points in five games before suffering a season-ending injury.
 
Amelia Booth, Alfred, So., A/M, Staatsburg, NY/FDR – Booth, the 2022 Empire 8 Co-Rookie of the Year and two-time All-E8 selection has 94 goals and 188 points to go along with 211 draw controls in two seasons.
 
Sydney Carpenter, St. John Fisher, So., A, Hilton, NY/Hilton – Carpenter, the 2022 E8 Offensive Player, Co-Rookie of the Year and IWLCA First Team selection, recorded 36 goals, 30 assists, 66 points and 119 draw controls.
 
Grace Hines, Russell Sage, Sr., M, Schenectady, NY/Guilderland – Hines, a two-year E8 Player to Watch, led the Gators in scoring with 50 goals and 62 points to go along with 13 caused turnovers in 2023 en route to earning All-E8 third team honors.
 
Kate Metzler, Nazareth, Gr., A, Collegeville, PA/Spring-Ford – Metzler will be counted on to lead the Nazareth attack in 2024 after breaking out with 28 goals and 44 points last season. She has 51 career goals.
 
Claudia Pollaro, Hartwick, Sr., M, Queensbury, NY/Queensbury – Pollaro earned All-Empire 8 second team accolades in 2023 after recording 36 goals, 48 points, 31 draw controls and 26 ground balls.
 
Grace Stuhlman, Utica, Jr., A, Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro – Stuhlman earned All-Empire 8 first team honors last season after leading Utica in scoring with 71 points on 54 goals and 17 assists to go along with 85 draw controls.
   
 
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher will look to win its 12th straight league championship in 2024. The Cardinals won 17 games and advanced to the Third Round of the NCAA Tournament last season. The Cardinals return 20 players, including nine starters from last season and open the season ranked No. 14 in the 2024 IWLCA Division III Preseason Women’s Lacrosse poll. Junior Sydney Carpenter, the 2022 E8 Offensive Player, Co-Rookie of the Year and 2023 IWLCA First Team All-American selection returns after tallying 43 goals, 31 assists, 74 points and an Empire 8 single-season record 182 draw controls. She has 301 draw controls and 140 points in her first two seasons. Fellow All-E8 first team selections Hanna Kumpf, Shannon Foster and Maddie Lowney return to lead the way. Kumpf scored 43 goals and 51 points last season, while junior Mary Fiorentino has hit the back of the net 58 times during her first two seasons. Foster, a senior defender was the 2021 Empire 8 Co-Rookie of the Year, earned her third All-E8 accolades in 2023 and will lead the defensive unit, along with Lowney, who was the 2023 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year. St. John Fisher has won 46 straight games against Empire 8 opponents dating back to the 2018 season. The Cardinals are 175-48 since head coach Linda Michele took over in 2012.
 
Nazareth
The Golden Flyers look to challenge for the Empire 8 title in 2024 and are seeking their first league crown since 2006. Nazareth will have a new look on the sidelines, as Dianna Schmitt takes over as head coach. There will be a familiar face returning to the sidelines, as 2023 E8 Player of the Year and three-time All-E8 first team and IWLCA All-Region selection Emma States moves into an assistant coaching role after graduation. The Golden Flyers return 19 players and seven starters from last season, including 2023 All-Empire 8 selections, seniors Maggie Gannon and sophomore goalkeeper Allie Klestinec. Gannon earned All-E8 first team honors after recording 43 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers. Klestinec earned the starting role in net and stopped 117 shots last season. Graduate students Kate Metzler and Maggie Vay will be counted on to lead the offensive attack after scoring 28 goals apiece in 2023. Metzler is Nazareth’s leading returning scorer, having tallied 44 points. Newcomers Elizabeth Smith, a freshman defender and junior attack Sophia Scialdone will look to make an immediate impact. Scialdone scored eight goals and 11 points at Division I UMass Lowell in 2022 before missing all of last season with an injury.
 
Utica
The Pioneers return 22 players and 10 starters from last season’s team that finished 10-7 overall and advanced to the Empire 8 Semifinals for the fifth consecutive season. Graduate student Samantha DeCondo, a three-time All-Empire 8 selection returns after tallying 70 points on 50 goals and 20 assists last season. She has 126 goals and 174 points in her Utica career. Junior Grace Stuhlman, an All-E8 first team selection in 2023, enjoyed a breakout season, leading Utica in scoring with 71 points on 54 goals and 17 assists to go along with 85 draw controls. Senior midfielder Alyssa Pisano will also be counted on to play a key role for the Pioneers in 2024. Senior defender Aana Blaszka, a two-time All-Empire 8 first team selection, will be counted on to lead the defensive unit. Head coach Kristin St. Hilaire has brought in a group of highly-touted newcomers, including midfielders Maria Stuhlman and Kerry Carr in addition to Bella Kolb and attack Bella Kolb.
 
Hartwick
Hartwick will look to even greater success in 2024 after advancing to the Empire 8 Semifinals for the third consecutive season in 2023. Hartwick returns 12 players, including 10 starters and six all-league selections, headlined by two-time All-Empire 8 first team selection Kristin Vaccarelli. Vaccarelli led the Hawks and the Empire 8 in scoring last season with 64 goals and 82 points, while recording 114 draw controls and 38 ground balls last season. Pollaro earned All-E8 honors for the third straight season after netting 36 goals and 48 points, while Katrina Marten led the E8 with 57 assists and added 24 goals for an 81-point season, garnering All-E8 second team plaudits. Defenders Teresa DiNanno and Brianna Liebro and midfielder Emily Madigan return after also earned All-E8 plaudits in 2023. Junior attack Kara Anderson, who scored 46 goals last season at former Empire 8 institution Medaille will also add to a potent Hartwick offense.
 
Russell Sage
Russell Sage is looking to get back to the Empire 8 Tournament in 2024. The Gators will have a new look on the sidelines, as Matt Johnson takes over as head coach. Russell Sage has 10 players and eight starters returning from last season’s team that was in the hunt for an E8 postseason berth until the final week of the regular season, including senior midfielders Grace Hines, Alexandra Queeney, Ashley Hearn and Marissa Key. Hines led the Gators in scoring with 50 goals and 62 points to go along with 13 caused turnovers in 2023 en route to earning All-E8 third team honors. Queeney led the Gators with 70 draw controls and added 29 goals and 42 points last season. She enters 2024 needing 23 draw controls to set the Russell Sage career record. Hearn garnered All-E8 third team accolades after causing 29 turnovers to go along with 50 ground balls.
 
Alfred
Alfred will look to earn a postseason berth in 2024. Junior Amelia Booth was named the 2022 Empire 8 Co-Rookie of the Year and is a two-time All-Empire 8 selection (first team 2022, second team 2023). She has 94 goals and 188 points to go along with 211 draw controls in two seasons. Senior goalkeeper Alyssa Piechota and defender Abby Call will also provide leadership and strong play on and off the field in 2023. Call had 32 draw controls and caused seven turnovers in 2023, while Piechota led the Empire 8 with 173 saves and was among the national leaders with 13.3 saves per contest in 2023. She has 472 career saves in her first three seasons at Alfred. Newcomers Cassidy Primrose and Alescia Nitti are expected to play a large role for the Saxons in 2024.
 
Keuka
Keuka will look to get back to the Empire 8 Tournament in 2024 after advancing to the semifinals in its conference debut in 2021. The Wolves return 12 players, including nine starters from last season’s team. Juniors Julia Bauder and Brooke Bonetti are back to lead the offensive attack. Bonetti tallied 12 goals and 17 points last season, while Bauder recorded 13 goals and 14 points in just five games before suffering a season-ending injury. Senior defender Jill McGinley also returns after recording 32 ground balls and 23 caused turnovers last season. First-year goalkeeper Lauren Vitello is expected to step right in compete for the starting role.
 
Final 2023 Empire 8 Women’s Lacrosse Standings
St. John Fisher (17-3, 7-0 Empire 8) – League Champions
Nazareth (10-8, 6-1 E8)
Utica (10-7, 5-2 E8)
Hartwick (10-5, 4-3 E8)
Medaille (9-5, 3-4 E8)
Russell Sage (5-8, 2-5 E8)
Alfred (1-12, 1-6 E8)
Keuka (2-11, 0-7 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 www.empire8.com and YouTube
 
EMPIRE 8 SOCIAL MEDIA
YouTube – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram