Men's Indoor Track and Field | 2/24/2024 4:32:25 PM
Nazareth University emerged victorious at the 2023-24 Empire 8 Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championship, held at Kerr Pegula Field House on the Campus of Houghton University on Feb. 23-24. The Golden Flyers finished with 186.2 points to win their second consecutive Empire 8 Championship. Utica University was the runner-up with 160.4 points, while St. John Fisher University placed third with 92.2 points.
Nazareth won five events over the weekend and used tremendous depth to rally for the team title.
Graduate student Kaleb Luton led the way for the Golden Flyers, securing 28 points to earn 2024 Empire 8 Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Meet honors. Luton set an Empire 8 Championship meet record and posted the seventh fastest time in Division III this season in the 60-meter hurdles at 8.01 seconds. He also won the 60-meter dash in a time of 7.06 seconds and was runner-up in the triple jump.
St. John Fisher senior jumper Sean Cochrane was named the 2024 Empire 8 Indoor Field Athlete of the Meet. He won the high jump, clearing 2.07 meters and was fourth in the long jump with a leap of 6.43 meters. Cochrane's high jump is now the fifth-best in all of Division III this season.
Nazareth’s Jack Pomykaj won the Empire 8 heptathlon. He outlasted second place finisher Andrew Wieder of Utica by 141 points with a score of 4,405 points. Pomykaj was the top finisher in the long jump, pole vault and 60-meter dash.
Utica's 4 x 400-meter relay team of Tanner Warren, Connor Dean, Jonathan Simmons, Andy Hadasz rolled to a four second win in the final event of the meet.
Utica's Antwan Kelly won his third consecutive E8 Championship in the weight throw. Kelly, who is one of the top throwers in Division III, recorded a winning toss of 17.75 meters.
Amos Bixler of Houghton University won the 800-meter title, defeating Cade Eells by just under a second in 1:58.25, while teammate Avery Belanger took the triple jump with a leap of 13.34 meters.
Below are all of the team scores in addition to individual and relay winners during the weekend’s events.
2023-24 Empire 8 Men’s Indoor Track & Field Championship Team Scores
Nazareth – 186.2
Utica – 160.4
St. John Fisher – 92.2
Houghton – 69
Alfred – 16
Hartwick – 2.2
Russell Sage – 1
2023-24 Empire 8 Indoor Track & Field Championship Individual Award Winners
Track Athlete of the Meet: Kaleb Luton, Gr., Nazareth
Field Athlete of the Meet: Sean Cochrane, Sr., St. John Fisher
2023-24 Empire 8 Indoor Championship Individual Relay/Award Winners (Friday)
Mile run: Cade Eells, Nazareth – 4:26.13
400-meter dash: Michael Puglisi, Nazareth – :50.73
5,000-meter run: Caleb Kasper, Houghton – 15:25.14
Distance medley relay: Tobias Jeralds, Jonathan Simmons, Timothy Jeralds, Bennett Melita, Utica – 10:43.37
Pole Vault: Hayden Penna, St. John Fisher – 4.55 meters (14’ 11”)
Shot Put: Hunter Logan, Utica – 16.01 meters (52’ 6.5”)
Long Jump: Matthew Stasiw, St. John Fisher – 6.68 meters (21’ 11”)
2023-24 Empire 8 Indoor Championship Individual Relay/Award Winners (Saturday)
60-meter dash: Kaleb Luton, Nazareth – :7.06
60-meter hurdles: Kaleb Luton, Nazareth – :8.01 (E8 Championship Meet record)
200-meter dash: Andrew Hadasz, Utica – :22.19
800-meter run: Amos Bixler, Houghton – 1:58.25
3,000-meter run: Bennett Melita, Utica – 8:45.93
4 x 400-meter relay: Tanner Warren, Connor Dean, Jonathan Simmons, Andy Hadasz, Utica – 3:24.52
High jump: Sean Cochrane, St. John Fisher – 2.07 meters (6’ 9.5”)
Triple jump: Avery Belanger, Houghton – 13.34 meters (43’ 9.25”)
Weight throw: – Antwan Kelly, Utica – 17.75 meters (58’ 3”)
Heptathlon: Jack Pomykaj, Nazareth – 4,405 points
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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
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