Elmira College Looks to Defend Empire 8 Championship as 2024 Men’s Soccer Gets Underway

Men's Soccer | 8/26/2024 9:58:38 AM

Elmira College will look to repeat as Empire 8 Champions, as the 2024 season gets underway on Aug. 30 and league play begins on Sept. 14. The league will have a new look in 2024 with SUNY Brockport, SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Poly joining, giving the Empire 8 12 teams.
 
In addition, the Empire 8 postseason format has expanded, as the top eight teams will advance to the E8 Championship Tournament, which will take place with quarterfinal action on Saturday, Nov. 2, semifinal round games on Wednesday, Nov. 6, and the championship three days on later Saturday, Nov. 9. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2024 NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship.
 
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the Empire 8 Network.  
Alejandro Aleo, Russell Sage, Jr., F, Alicante, Spain/College of St. Rose – Aleo played at Division II College of St. Rose in 2023 and tallied three points in 14 games.
 
Dante Gesamondo, Hartwick, Sr., GK, Lynnfield, MA/Lynnfield – Gesamondo, the 2023 Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year, is a two-time All-E8 selection (first team, 2023, third team with Medaille in 2022). He recorded a 0.73 goals against average and .814 save percentage with five shutouts last season.
 
Alex Kalivoda, Houghton, Sr., F, Binghamton, NY/Chenango Forks – Kalivoda, a previous Empire 8 Player of the Week, was Houghton’s leading scorer last season with 16 points on four goals and eight assists.
 
Mohamed Koroma, Elmira, Sr., M, Dumfries, VA/Potomac – Koroma earned All-Empire 8 third team honors in 2023 after recording seven points. He also played two seasons at Finlandia University and was the Coast 2 Coast Conference Freshman of the Year in 2021.
 
Brendan Moquin, Keuka, Jr., F, Palmyra, NY/Palymra-Macedon – Moquin appeared in 12 games last season and will be expected to lead the Wolves offensive unit in 2024.
 
Tyler Mulholland, Alfred, So., GK, Lancaster, PA/Manheim Township – Mulholland is expected to the starting goalkeeper in 2024 after playing five games during his rookie season last year.
 
Jake Pawlika, Nazareth, Jr., M, Oneida, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill – Pawlika, a three-time All-Empire 8 selection (first team 2021 and 2023; second team 2022), has 30 goals, 16 assists and 76 points in his first three seasons. He needs 13 goals and 24 points to become the E8’s all-time career leader in both categories.
 
Riley Rease, St. John Fisher, Sr., F, Nunda, NY/Keshequa – Rease earned All-Empire 8 second team honors in 2023 and was the 2021 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year. He has 16 goals and 39 points in 46 career games.
 
Kevin Ryan, SUNY Poly, Sr., D, Ravena, NY/Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk – Ryan was the North Atlantic Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year last season and led the Wildcats to the NAC Championship.
 
Andrew Taylor, SUNY Brockport, Gr., K, Baldwinsville, NY/Charles W. Baker – Taylor was the 2023 SUNYAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year after finishing with an 8-3-4 record, 0.88 goals against average, six shutouts and an .833 save percentage.
 
Anderson Velazquez, Utica, Gr., F, Norwood, NY/Marble Hill – Velazquez was formerly an All-SUNYAC selection at SUNY Potsdam and played in 17 games as a midfielder for the Pioneers last season.
 
Joe Vogt, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., D, Penfield, NY/Penfield – Vogt was the 2022 SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Year and is a two-time All-SUNYAC first team pick.
   
Elmira
The Soaring Eagles will look to repeat as Empire 8 Champions after finishing unbeaten in league play and securing their first league title in program history. Elmira returns a strong core from that team but will have a new look, as Jim McIntyre begins his first season as head coach. Senior forward Mohamed Koroma will be counted on to lead the way offensively in 2024 after earning All-E8 third team accolades last season. All-Empire 8 second team selection Konstantinos Triantafillou and Selvin Moldonado are back to help solidify a stout defensive unit, while All-E8 third team midfielder Jose Navea Corporan, Jhoan Chavez, Daniel Brown and goalkeeper Juan Carlos Cruz Gandia will also be counted on to lead the way.
 
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher, the 2023 Empire 8 Regular Season co-champions and E8 Tournament runner-up, return 20 players and eight starters. The Cardinals have tremendous depth returning, as six former All-Conference selections are back, including 2023 All-E8 first team picks, forwards Riley Rease and Joey Avallone, center back Ryan Brown, center midfielders Jacob McGinnis and Reese Powers, in addition to 2022 All-E8 pick Matt Gentile. Midfielder Nick Rippe and goalkeeper Christian Burkhart will also be counted on to help lead the Cardinals in 2024. Head Coach Jack Burgasser has brought in a talented group of newcomers, including center back Michael Linder.
 
Nazareth
Nazareth will look for its third Empire 8 Championship in the last six seasons in 2024. Nazareth, who advanced to the E8 Tourney for the seventh straight season in 2023, returns 25 players, including former All-Empire 8 first team selections Drew Decker, Jake Pawlika, and goalkeeper Logan Menna. Pawlika, a two-time All-E8 first team honoree, has 30 goals and 76 points over his first three seasons. He needs 13 goals and 24 points to become the E8’s all-time career leader in both categories. Decker has 26 career assists, six shy of equaling the E8 career mark in that category. Senior defender Alex Gent, along with former All-E8 selection Quentin Herrmann are back to help lead the way. Head Coach Matt Tantalo, three-time winner of the Empire 8’s Doug May Coach of the Year Award, enters the season five wins shy of 200 in his career.
 
Hartwick
The Hawks will look to make their third straight E8 postseason berth in 2024. In each of the last two seasons, Hartwick has won its E8 Tournament first round game before falling to the eventual E8 Champion in the semifinals.  Hartwick returns 15 players from last season’s squad, including senior goalkeeper Dante Gesamondo, the 2023 Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year in addition to senior defender Jose Moreno. Hartwick played as a Division I program until 2017, having won the 1977 NCAA Championship.
 
Utica
The Pioneers return 23 players and 10 starters from last season’s team that advanced to the opening round of the Empire 8 Tournament. The Pioneers advanced to the E8 title match in 2022. Cody Baker-Green, a 2022 All-Empire 8 first team pick and 2023 second team selection is back for his final year. Graduate student Anderson Velazquez and junior Noah Nassberg will anchor the midfield, while Sophomore defender Evan Smith, an All-Empire 8 third team pick in 2023, will lead the defensive unit.
 
Alfred
Alfred advanced to the Empire 8 Tournament Semifinals in 2023 and will look to take the next step forward in 2024. The Saxons return 23 players and starters from last season’s team. Sophomore forward Xavier Bowman, classmate and midfielder Gavin Culley and defender Christian Martinez, along with goalkeeper Tyler Mullholand will be counted on to lead the Saxons in 2024.
 
Houghton
Houghton will look to get back to the Empire 8 Tournament in 2024 and return 16 players and seven starters from last season. Junior forward Alex Kalivoda returns after leading the Highlanders in scoring last season with 16 points on four goals and eight assists. Senior Caleb Bailey returns to help lead the way up front after tallying 13 points on five goals and three assists, while classmates CJ Stout and Aidan Fish are back to help solidify the defensive unit.
 
Russell Sage
Russell Sage will look to win its first Empire 8 Championship in 2024. The Gators will have a new look this season, with 21 new players, including several transfers from Division II College of St. Rose. Senior El Hajdi Iba Sy, a two-time All-Empire 8 selection, will be counted on to lead the offensive unit. Joseph Piperata and Christian Beres will also serve as team leaders, while transfers Alejandro Aleo, Alessandro Cerbara and Darien Espinal are expected to step in right in and contribute.
 
Keuka
Keuka will look for its first postseason berth in its fourth season as an Empire 8 member and will have a new look under first year head coach Mike Drake. The Wolves return 14 players and five starters from last season’s team.
Senior goalkeeper Cory Gangemi, along with graduate student Owen Thorpe and junior forward Brendan Moquin return to lead the Wolves in 2024. Newcomers Nicola Costa, Corey Hamilton and Patrick Mucha will look to step right in and compete for playing time.
 
SUNY Brockport
SUNY Brockport will look to make immediate waves in its first season as an Empire 8 member in 2024 after finishing 9-3-5 overall and 6-0-3 in SUNYAC play in 2023. Head Coach Gary LaPietra enters his 29th season leading Brockport and has 270 wins during that time with six NCAA Tournament appearances. The Golden Eagles return 17 players and six starters from last season’s team, including goalkeeper Andrew Taylor, who was the 2023 SUNYAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year after finishing with an 8-3-4 record, 0.88 goals against average, six shutouts and an .833 save percentage. Senior defender Giovanni Cardona, a 2023 All-SUNYAC third team pick, along with junior forward Max Voyer will look to lead Brockport.
 
SUNY Geneseo
SUNY Geneseo makes its Empire 8 debut in 2024 after winning nine games and advancing to the SUNYAC Tournament in 2023. Head Coach Mark Howlett enters his seventh season leading the Knights and return 20 players from last season’s team, including senior defender Joe Vogt, who was the 2022 SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time All-SUNYAC first team pick. Senior midfielder Stefen Nikolic and junior forward Dylan Thody will also be counted on to lead the Knights in 2024.
 
SUNY Poly
SUNY Poly makes its Empire 8 debut in 2024 and will look to earn its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship in 2023. Head coach Peterson Jerome enters his 21st season at Poly in 2024 and has led the Wildcats to two NCAA Tournament appearances in the last three seasons. Poly finished 13-6-1 last season and tallied 47 goals. Senior defender Kevin Ryan was named the 2023 NAC Defensive Player of the Year. Abus Mohamed Ali earned All-NAC first team honors after tallying 14 points on four goals and six assists.
 
Final 2023 Empire 8 Men’s Soccer Standings ^
Elmira (7-7-5, 5-0-3 E8, 18 points) – League Champions
St. John Fisher (6-4-7, 5-0-3 E8, 18 points)
Nazareth (10-4-2, 5-2-1 E8, 16 points)
Hartwick (8-5-4, 4-2-2 E8, 14 points)
Utica (6-9-0, 3-3-2 E8, 11 points)
Alfred (6-7-5, 2-4-2 E8, 8 points)
Houghton (3-10-4, 1-4-3 E8, 6 points)
Russell Sage (4-8-4, 1-5-2 E8, 5 points)
Keuka (1-10-3, 0-6-2 E8, 2 points

^ SUNY Brockport, SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Poly are making its Empire 8 debut in 2024. Brockport and Geneseo competed in the SUNYAC, while Poly competed in the North Atlantic Conference in 2023.
 
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
 
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