Men's Indoor Track and Field | 2/20/2024 10:29:45 PM
Alfred University, Hartwick College, Houghton University, Nazareth University, Russell Sage College, St. John Fisher University and Utica University will compete at the two-day 2023-24 Empire 8 Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championships starting at 3 p.m. on Friday, February 23 from the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex on the campus of Houghton. Nazareth will look repeat as Empire 8 Champions. Day two action will begin on Saturday, February 26 at 10 a.m.
Live results will be available on Friday and Saturday. For more on this year's championship - including entries, results, and updated information - please head to the Championship Central page.
2023-24 Empire 8 Team Capsules (Order Based on 2022-23 Championship Finish)
Nazareth earned its first Empire 8 indoor track and field title in 2023 and will look to repeat this weekend. Graduate student Kaleb Luton is the defending league champion and is ranked 18th nationally this season in the 60-meter hurdles. He is also the Empire 8’s No. 2 seed in the 60-meter dash and No. 3 seed in the triple jump. Two-time E8 Championship Connor McCauslin is seeded second right behind Luton in the 60-meter hurdles. Michael Puglisi and Ben Lewis and Mike Welch will look to score key points for the Golden Flyers in the sprint events. Lewis is the 2022 E8 Indoor Co-Rookie of the Year. Junior Cade Eells, the 2023 Empire 8 Cross Country Co-Runner of the Year, is the defending indoor champion in the mile and enters this weekend with the top time among all E8 student-athletes in the 800-meters, mile and 3,000-meters. Nathan Bowers, the 2022 E8 Cross Country Runner of the Year, enters the meet as a top-5 seed in the mile, 3,000- and 5,000-meters. Gavin McCallister is seeded second in the 800-meters. Jack Pomykaj and Thomas Holden enter the meet as the No. 1 and No. 3 seeds in the heptathlon. Pomykaj has a top score of 4,237 points to lead all E8 student-athletes this season. Pomykaj also enters the championship seeded second in the pole vault, while Jason Bletsko is seeded second. Pomykaj and Adam Reifsteck and Gabe Wilson also strong contenders to score in the long and triple jump events.
Utica, the Empire 8 runner-up in both the 2023 Indoor and Outdoor Championships, will be a strong contender to earn the E8 Indoor crown in 2024, entering the meet with top times or scores in eight of the 17 events. The Pioneers have a bevy of prolific throwers, including Hunter Logan, a two-time All-American, who is ranked 24th nationally in the shot put. He is the two-defending champion in the event. Antwan Kelly is ranked 27th nationally in the weight throw and is the defending E8 Champ. In addition, Justin Swavely, Billie Mays III, Michael McNeil, Spencer Borghardt and Joshua Talbot are also among the current E8 leaders in both events. Senior sprinter Andy Hadasz is the current leader in the 60-, 100- and 200-meters and the defending Empire 8 Champion in the 200-meters. Hadasz is also ranked 29th nationally in the 200-meters. Bennett Melita, the 2023 Empire 8 Cross Country Rookie and Runner of the Year, will look to sweep the 3,000- and 5,000-meter events. He enters the championship with the top time in the 3,000-meters. Louis Pinto is ranked third in the high jump, while Andrew Wieder is right behind, ranked fourth. Wieder and Jack Rathburn will contend in the pole vault, while Connor Dean will vie for the E8 title in both the long jump and triple jump. Andrew Wieder is ranked second in the conference in the heptathlon with a current season-high score of 3,916 points.
St. John Fisher is looking for its sixth Empire 8 crown in 2024. The Cardinals enter the meet with the current top performer in four of 17 events. Sean Cochrane is the E8 leader in the high jump, with a leap of 2.03 meters, which is also 15th best in Division III. Hayden Penna is ranked 43rd in the pole vault at 4.60 meters. Ethan Billings is the current Empire 8 leader in the 5,000-meters and will be a strong candidate in the 3,000-meters and mile. Myles Andersen will also contend in the 800-meters, while Tony DiRubbo will look to score in the 800-meters and mile. Cochrane is ranked inside the top-50 in the high jump. Sprinters Rob Hartigan, Trenton Wynn, Collin Gannon and Brady Bishop will look to gain valuable points, while Wynn and John Ruggio will look to emerge victorious in the 60-meter hurdles. Matthew Stasiw enters the championship with the best long jump in the league at 6.71 meters, while Bryant DePaull is a top candidate in the high jump and long jump. Brandon Kaplan and Jack Bickford will look to score in throws.
Houghton will look for a top-three team finish in 2024. Evan Kurtz will look to earn points in the sprint events, while Zach Tucker, Amos Bixler and James Bixler and James Eustace will contend in the middle distance events. Caleb Kasper has emerged as one of the top distance runners in the E8 and should contend for a league title in both the 3,000- and 5,000-meter events. He is the defending Empire 8 Champion in the 5,000-meters and is seeded second this season. Houghton’s strong distance runners propelled them to the 2023 E8 Cross Country Championship. Avery Belanger enters the championship seeded first in the triple jump with a leap of 13.19 meters, fourth in the long jump and ninth in the 60-meter hurdles. Houghton’s distance medley relay team will also contend for the league title.
Alfred enters the 2024 Empire 8 Championship looking to improve off of last season’s sixth place finish. Carter Buckman will look to contend in the heptathlon, as he enters the championship with the fourth best score in the league to date. Buckman is also a contender in the pole vault. Taylor Jacob, Finnegan Dean and Yuner Sesmas will look to earn points in the distance events, while Jason Crocker, Andrew Parnapy and Daimel Fowler will look to contribute to the throwing events. Crocker enters the championship meet with the fourth best shot put in the league at 13.65 meters.
Russell Sage is primed to continue its ascent as an upstart program. Junior David Adadjo is a candidate in both the 60-, 200- and 400-meters, while looking to score in the triple jump. Kyle Coyne is a contender in the 60-meter hurdles, while the 4 x 400-meter relay team will look for a top-three finish.
Hartwick will have a handful of student-athletes competing, including sprinter Patrick Conteh in addition to relay teams. Joseph Catalano, Jodi Johnson, Luca Montesano, Corey Quomony, James Adams and Marquis Jones-McKinney will look to earn points.
Current 2023-24 Empire 8 Top Performances (TFRRS Lists)
60-meter dash – Andy Hadasz, Utica – :7.02
200-meter dash – Andy Hadasz, Utica – :22.15
400-meter dash – Andy Hadasz, Utica – :50.06
800-meter run – Cade Eells, Nazareth – 1:59.75
Mile run – Cade Eells, Nazareth – 4:22.67
3,000-meter run – Bennett Melita, Utica – 8:37.79
5,000-meter run – Ethan Billings, St. John Fisher – 15:14.85
60-meter hurdles – Kaleb Luton, Nazareth – :8.14
4 x 400-meter relay – Utica – 3:28.37
Distance Medley relay – Utica – 10:35.55
High Jump – Sean Cochrane, St. John Fisher – 2.03 meters (6’7.75”)
Long Jump – Matthew Stasiw, St. John Fisher – 6.71 meters (22’0.25”)
Triple Jump – Avery Belanger, Houghton – 13.19 meters (43’3.25”)
Pole Vault – Hayden Penna, St. John Fisher – 4.60 meters (15’1”)
Shot Put – Hunter Logan, Utica – 16.11 meters (52’10.25”)
Weight Throw – Antwan Kelly, Utica – 17.83 meters (58’6”)
Heptathlon – Jack Pomykaj, Nazareth – 4,237 points
For the most up to date information on this year's championship, follow the Empire 8 Conference on X (@Empire8).
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.
EMPIRE 8 SOCIAL MEDIA
YouTube –
Facebook –
Twitter –
Instagram