General | 8/14/2024 4:44:29 PM
SUNY Brockport, SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Polytechnic Institute are set to begin play as official Empire 8 Conference full-time members, as fall sports action begins on Friday, August 30. The 2024-25 athletic season is the first as E8 members for all three institutions.
With the addition of SUNY Brockport, SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Poly, the E8 will be comprised of 12 members all located in New York State. The conference currently sponsors 26 NCAA Division III sports.
SUNY Brockport sponsors 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports with a total roster of 825 student-athletes. The mission of the SUNY Brockport athletic department is to provide a transformational, holistic student-athlete experience by integrating intercollegiate athletics into the SUNY Brockport education. This is achieved by focusing on five key areas: Integrating with the University, Championing diversity and inclusion, Achieving academically, Excelling athletically, and Playing with integrity.
"We're thrilled to begin our journey in the Empire 8 Conference," said SUNY Brockport Director of Athletics, Dr. Erick Hart. "This move represents a significant step forward for Brockport athletics, and we're eager to compete. Our student-athletes, coaches, and staff have worked incredibly hard to reach this point, and the excitement around campus is real. We're ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities that come with this new chapter, and we look forward to building lasting rivalries and traditions in the Empire 8."
SUNY Geneseo is known both for stellar academic and athletic programs. The Knights compete in 21 varsity sports and have finished in the top-25 in the Division III Learfield Sports/NACDA Directors Cup standings each of the last six completed years of competition.
"The anticipation of Empire 8 competition is adding a real jolt of energy to the start of the 2024-25 season," said Dani Drews, Geneseo Director of Athletics and Recreaton. "The conference office and membership has been so welcoming, we cannot wait to begin this next chapter for Geneseo Athletics."
SUNY Poly currently sponsors 13 Division III sports. The Wildcats have enjoyed a rich athletics history with tremendous success at the conference and national level, including 23 North Eastern Athletic Conference/North Atlantic Conference Championships, 22 NCAA Tournament Appearances and 35 Conference Players of the Year.
"This is an exciting time for SUNY Poly Athletics, as we begin a new chapter competing in the Empire 8," said SUNY Poly Athletic Director John Czarnecki. "The E8 is a well-known and respected conference with a rich history of promoting good sportsmanship while focusing on the importance of the academic piece to a student-athlete's collegiate experience. These values align perfectly with the values of SUNY Poly and the Department of Athletics making the E8 feel like the perfect place for the Wildcats. We have all looked forward to the upcoming season since being accepted and it's great to finally call the E8 our home."
Founded in 1998, the Empire 8 has developed into one of the premier NCAA Division III athletic conferences, both on the field and in the classroom. The conference now consists of 12 full-time members, including Alfred University, Brockport, Elmira College, Geneseo, Hartwick College, Houghton University, Keuka College, Nazareth University, Poly, Russell Sage College, St. John Fisher University, and Utica University.
ABOUT SUNY BROCKPORT
School: SUNY Brockport
Location: Brockport, New York
Founded: 1835
Enrollment: 7,000
Nickname: Golden Eagles
Colors: Green and Gold
Affiliation: NCAA Division III
President: Dr. Heidi Macpherson
Director of Athletics: Dr. Erick Hart
Athletics Website: www.gobrockport.com
Empire 8 Conference Sponsored Sports (22): Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Field Hockey, Football, Men's Ice Hockey, Men's and Women's Lacrosse, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving, Women's Tennis, Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field, Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field, Women's Volleyball and Wrestling.
ABOUT SUNY GENESEO
School: SUNY Geneseo
Location: Geneseo, New York
Founded: 1871
Enrollment: 4,000
Nickname: Knights
Colors: Navy Blue, Gray and White
Affiliation: NCAA Division III
President: Dr. Denise Battles
Director of Athletics: Dani Drews
Athletics Website: www.geneseoknights.com/
Empire 8 Conference Sponsored Sports (20): Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Field Hockey, Women's Golf, Men's Ice Hockey, Men's and Women's Lacrosse, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving, Women's Tennis, Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field, Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field, Women's Volleyball.
ABOUT SUNY POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
School: SUNY Poly
Location: Utica, New York
Founded: 1966
Enrollment: 3,200
Nickname: Wildcats
Colors: Blue and Gold
Affiliation: NCAA Division III
President: Dr. Winston Oluwole Soboyejo
Director of Athletics: John Czarnecki
Athletics Website: https://wildcats.sunypoly.edu/
Empire 8 Conference Sponsored Sports (13): Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Mixed Golf, Men's and Women's Lacrosse, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball and Men’s and Women's Volleyball.
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
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