Women's Indoor Track and Field | 2/21/2024 11:35:15 AM
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 Women’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 24 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 Championship in 2023 and enters with a deep group of student-athletes looking to earn a repeat title. Senior Lea Richard is the three-time defending Empire 8 Champion in the weight throw and enters the meet with the 13th best toss in Division III this season (17.52 meters). Teammate Hailey Webber has the second best weight throw in the league this season. Nazareth enters the meet with the top-four heights in the pole vault to date this season with Isabel Morse, Rosie Morse, Kiara Tornusciolo and Lauren Bendall leading the way. Isabel Morse is the defending E8 Champion in the event. Hannah Ragule, Bendall, Sydney LaSalle and Samantha Luba lead a strong group in the pentathlon. Ragule is ranked in the top-50 nationally in the event. Emily Weaver, Lilianna Hanning, Ella Impaglia and Meghan Moyer will contend in the distance events. Weaver has the top time among All-E8 student-athletes in the 3,000-meters this season to date. Ragule, the 2021 Empire 8 Indoor Rookie of the Year is one of the top jumpers in the league. Isabella Heath, Alaina Morley and Sydney LaSalle are also contenders in the long and triple jump. leading the way. Sarah Merriwether will contend in the high jump, while Morley and Alexis Lasher will look to earn key points in the sprint events.
St. John Fisher will look to get back to the Empire 8 Championship podium this weekend. Veronica Duell, Michaela Kurbs and Ciarra Franz enter the meet as the top three performers in the league in the long jump. Duell is ranked seventh and Kurbs is 12th nationally. Makenna King is ranked 21st nationally in the shot put (13.38 meters) and is also strong E8 contender in the weight throw. Franz is also ranked 14th nationally in the 60-meter hurdles and will look to claim her third straight E8 title in the event. Lauren DeMichele, the defending E8 Champion in the 5,000-meters, leads a strong contingent of distance runners, along with Riley Jameson, Laura Witt and Brigid McGee. Caitlin Voloshen is the current Empire 8 leader in the mile and is second in the 800-meters, while Grace Wright and Grace Dolan will look to earn points in the sprint events. Emily Frech will look to score points in the pole vault, while Claudia Vogel is Fisher’s top high jumper. Erin McGuinness, Jazelle McIntyre and Morgan Collazzo will also look to score points in the throws.
Utica has several standout student-athletes who will vie for individual titles, as the Pioneers will aim to win their first league title in program history. Sophomore Mackenzie Mix, the two-time defending champion in the 200-meters, enters the championship meet with the current top time among all E8 student-athletes in the 200-meters and is second in the 400-meters and fifth in the 60-meters. First-year Arianna McClendon has the fastest current time in the 400-meters (28th nationally) and is right behind Mix in the 200-meters. Mix is nationally-ranked in both the 200- and 400-meters. Graduate student Jane Fahy is the three-time defending E8 champion in the shot put and has the 11th best mark in Division III this season (13.82 meters). Nora Devitt and Zeniyah Gholson enter as the triple jump with the top two leaps in the E8. Devitt is also 24th nationally. Jade Dening, the 2021 Empire 8 Cross Country Rookie of the Year, is ranked fourth in the mile, while Stefania Grimaldi and Amelia Petersen are top contenders in the hurdles. Allison Hannah and Abrianna Wadley enter the championship ranked first and second in the high jump Allie Cary, Riley King, Ranasia Bailey, Hailey Hrouda and Sarah Florian will look to score for Utica in the throws as well.
Houghton will look to win its first E8 title in 2024. First-year Victoria Brewster enters the meet with the top time among all E8 student-athletes in the 60-meter dash. She is also second in the 200-meters and fifth in the 400-meters. Noelle Linenfesler, the 2023 Empire 8 Cross Country Runner of the Year, will look to earn titles in both distance races, while Kyra Binney is Houghton’s top middle distance runner. Houghton is always well represented in the relay events and this season should be no different. Graduate transfer Madison Palmer, who was an All-E8 selection at Alfred University, will contend for league titles in both the shot put and weight throw. Kate Widmer will contend for points in both jumps events.
Alfred enters the 2024 Empire 8 Championship looking to improve off of last season’s fifth place finish. Anne Spila and Bianca Durso are set to lead the Saxons in the pentathlon, as both enter the champion as among the top E8 scorers this season. Spila leads all student-athletes in that event with 2,959 points and is ranked in the top-50 nationally. She is also second in the 60-meters, third in the high jump, fifth in the 200-meters and sixth in the long jump. Durso is fourth in the high jump. Olivia Gilbert is the defending E8 champion in the 800-meters and enters the championship with the top time among all E8 student-athletes of 2:22.04. McKenzie Hall will represent the Saxons in middle distance events, while Mari Jablonski is Alfred’s too distance runner.
Russell Sage and has several student-athletes who are among the top performers in a handful of events. Elizabeth Ingellis enters the meet with fastest time among all Empire 8 student-athletes in the 5,000-meters of 18:21.97. She also enters fourth in the 3,000-meters. Mackenzie Feeney will look to earn points in the 800-meters, mile and 3,000-meters, while Tirzah Spivey is Sage’s top sprinter.
Hartwick will look to make strong strides forward at the 2024 E8 Championship. Pepita Graham will look to contend in both the 60- and 200-meters, while Brynita Haas is Hartwick’s top distance runner. Giovanna Wall is Hartwick’s top thrower and hurdler, while Stephanie Cohen is expected to compete in the hurdles.
Current 2023-24 Empire 8 Top Performances (TFRRS Lists)
60-meter dash – Victoria Brewster, Houghton – :7.83
200-meter dash – Mackenzie Mix, Utica – :26.25
400-meter dash – Arianna McLendon, Utica – :58.29
800-meter run – Olivia Gilbert, Alfred – 2:22.04
Mile run – Caitlin Voloshen, St. John Fisher – 5:14.15
3,000-meter run – Emily Weaver, Nazareth– 10:34.11
5,000-meter run – Elizabeth Ingellis, Russell Sage – 18:21.97
60-meter hurdles – Cierra Franz, St. John Fisher – :8.82
4 x 400-meter relay – Utica – 4:08.63
Distance Medley relay – Nazareth – 13:08.31
High Jump – Hannah Allison, Utica – 1.58 meters (5’1.75)
Long Jump – Veronica Duell, St. John Fisher – 5.68 meters (18’7.75”)
Triple Jump – Nora Devitt, Utica – 11.45 meters (37’6.75”)
Pole Vault – Isabel Morse, Nazareth – 3.45 meters (11’3.75”)
Shot Put – Jane Fahy, Utica – 13.82 meters (45’4.25”)
Weight Throw – Lea Richard, Nazareth – 17.52 meters (57’5.75”)
Pentathlon – Anne Spila, Alfred – 2,959 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.
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