Men's Soccer | 10/31/2025 10:00:00 AM
SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Brockport, Elmira College, St. John Fisher University, Utica University, Nazareth University, Russell Sage College and Hartwick College will compete for the 2025 Empire 8 Men’s Soccer Championship, which starts on Saturday, Nov. 1 and wraps up Saturday, Nov. 8, with all games played at the higher seed.
All eight teams will be in action for opening round play on Saturday, Nov. 1, as No. 1 SUNY Geneseo will host No. 8 Hartwick, No. 2 SUNY Brockport hosts No. 7 Russell Sage, No. 6 Nazareth travels to take on No. 3 Elmira and No. 5 Utica heads west to face No. 4 St. John Fisher. The winner of SUNY Geneseo vs. Hartwick will take on the winner of St. John Fisher vs. Utica on Wednesday, Nov. 5 in one semifinal, while the winner of SUNY Brockport vs. Russell Sage will face the winner of Elmira vs. Nazareth in semifinal action, also on Wednesday. The two semifinal winners will meet for the 2025 Empire 8 Championship on Saturday, Nov. 8 at a time to be determined.
The league champion receives an automatic berth into the 2025 NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship, which begins with first and second round action on Nov. 15-16.
2025 Empire 8 Men's Soccer Championship Tournament Participating Teams
No. 1 – SUNY Geneseo (28 points, 9-1-1 E8, 11-5-2 Overall)
No. 2 – SUNY Brockport (26 points, 8-1-2 E8, 9-4-3 Overall)
No. 3 – Elmira College (24 points, 7-1-3 E8, 9-3-5 Overall)
No. 4 – St. John Fisher University (20 points, 6-3-2 E8, 6-8-2 Overall)
No. 5 – Utica University (19 points, 5-2-4 E8, 8-5-4 Overall)
No. 6 – Nazareth University (16 points, 5-5-1 E8, 7-6-3 Overall)
No. 7 – Russell Sage College (14 points, 4-5-2 E8, 10-6-2 Overall)
No. 8 – Hartwick College (13 points, 4-6-1 E8, 5-9-2 Overall)
Top-seed SUNY Geneseo finished 9-1-1 in league play and has an 11-5-2 overall heading into the Empire 8 Tournament. The Knights out-scored opponents 33-7 in league play this season. Dylan Thody leads the Knights and the Empire 8 in scoring with 34 points on 13 goals and eight assists. Michael Ruggiero has 25 points on 10 goals and five helpers. Thody has four game-winning goals, while Aidan Lodie is right behind with three game-winners. Ten different Knights have at least two goals. Goalkeeper Max Crothall has nine wins in net with a 1.27 goals against average and a 0.771 save percentage.
SUNY Brockport enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed this season after advancing to the Empire 8 Semifinals in its first season as a league member in 2024. The Golden Eagles are riding a 10-game unbeaten streak and have eight players with at least two goals this season, including Ryan Mathis and Brady Reinagel, who have five goals apiece. Three of Reinagel’s game-winners were game-winners. Max Voyer has 10 points on four goals and two assists, while Trevor Lagarde and Alex Rivara have four assists apiece. Goalkeeper AJ Nelson has emerged as the starting goalkeeper and has not lost a game in league play, finishing 8-0-2 with a 0.40 goals against average and an 0.862 save percentage. He allowed just four goals in 10 league games.
Elmira, the 2023 Empire 8 Champions and 2024 runners-up are the No. 3 seed, having finished 7-1-3 in league play this season. Elmira has out-scored its opponents, 38-22 this season. Pietro Gallina leads the team in scoring and is third in the league with both 12 goals and 26 points. Jhoan Chavez is second on the team in scoring with 11 points on three goals and five assists, while Jose Navea Corporan and Adam Tufton have four goals apiece. Nine different players have at least two goals on the season. Goalkeeper Juan Carlos Cruz Gandia finished 6-1-3 between the pipes in league play. The Soaring Eagles are in the E8 Tournament for the ninth time in program history.
No. 4 seed St. John Fisher is looking to repeat as E8 Champions and win its third title in the last six seasons. The Cardinals went 6-3-2 in league play and enters the tournament with on a 6-1-1 run since the start of October. Reese Powers and Jack Tamburino lead the Cardinals in scoring with four goals apiece, while Blake Petocchi has a team-best four assists to go with one goal. Goalkeeper Parker Stusek has played every minute in goal for the Cardinals during league play and has a 0.91 goals against average and an 0.815 save percentage. The Cardinals are in the E8 Tournament for the sixth straight season and 16th time overall.
Utica is back in the E8 Tournament, making its ninth overall appearance and fourth in the last five seasons. The No. 5 seed Pioneers are 8-5-4 overall and finished 5-2-4 in league play. Byamungu Mugushu leads the Pioneers and the Empire 8 in scoring with 33 points on 14 goals and five assists. Five of his 14 goals are game-winners. He tallied 11 goals in 11 Empire 8 conference games. Carter Cookinham has 13 points on four goals and five assists, while Noah Nassberg and Henry Schweitzer each have 12 points on four goals and four assists. Goalkeeper Zachary Accetta is 5-3-3 with a 1.56 goals against average in 12 contests.
No. 6 seed Nazareth enters the Empire 8 Tournament with a 7-6-3 overall record. The Golden Flyers are out-scoring their opponents, 27-18 this season and have four players with at least 10 points. Samuel Burton leads the Golden Flyers with 13 points on five goals and three assists, while Spencer Neil has four goals and three helpers. Both Gibson Spector and Tyler Warmington have five goals, while Alexander Kobayashi has a team-high six assists. Goalkeeper Bryan Tirado has a 1.08 goals against average and an 0.823 save percentage. The Golden Flyers are in the tournament for the ninth straight season and 18th time in program history.
Russell Sage, the No. 7 seed, enters the tournament with a 10-6-2 overall record. Pete Martillotta, the reigning Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week, leads the Gators and with five goals, while John Lewis Whalen has 10 points on two goals and six assists. Dimitri Gogas has four goals and nine points in just 13 games. Goalkeeper Matja Milutin has appeared in 13 games and has five wins, while Aiden Van Oostveen has a 4-0-0 mark and an .840 save percentage.
Hartwick, which played at the Division I level until the 2018 season, is in the Empire 8 Tournament for the fourth consecutive season and is looking to earn its first championship berth after advancing to the league semifinals in each of the last three seasons. The eighth-seeded Hawks have won at least one postseason game in each of the last three years. Devin Chandler leads the team in scoring this season with 16 points on three goals and 10 assists. Mathieu Six has five goals, while Wilson Mount is right behind with four tallies. In goal, Jelani Usim has appeared in 11 games for the Hawks this season and has four wins and a pair of solo shutouts.
Geneseo defeated E8 first round opponent Hartwick by a score of 2-1 during the regular season on Sept. 13. Russell Sage defeated No. 2 Brockport, 2-1 at home, also on Sept. 13. No. 3 seed Elmira earned a 3-1 win at Nazareth on Oct. 25, while No. 5 Utica went on the road to Growney Stadium and defeated No. 4 St. John Fisher on Sept. 24.
Nazareth is looking for its sixth league championship and third in the last seven seasons, while St. John Fisher is attempting to win its third league crown in the last six years and Elmira is looking for its second title in three seasons. SUNY Brockport, SUNY Geneseo, Hartwick, Russell Sage and Utica are looking for their first E8 titles.
This weekend's championship schedule is below. For the most up to date information on this year's championship, visit
www.empire8.com and follow the Empire 8 Conference on X and Instagram (@Empire8).
2025 Empire 8 Men's Soccer Championship Tournament Schedule
Saturday, November 1 – First Round
No. 8 Hartwick at No. 1 SUNY Geneseo – 1 p.m.
No. 7 Russell Sage at No. 2 SUNY Brockport – 1 p.m.
No. 6 Nazareth at No. 3 Elmira – 1 p.m.
No. 5 Utica at No. 4 St. John Fisher – 6 p.m.
Wednesday, November 5 – Semifinals (at Higher Seed)
Winner of SUNY Geneseo/Hartwick vs. Winner of St. John Fisher/Utica – TBD
Winner of SUNY Brockport/Russell Sage vs. Winner of Elmira/Nazareth– TBD
Saturday, November 8 - Championship Final
Winner of Semifinal Game 1 vs. Winner of Semifinal Game 2 at Highest Remaining Seed – TBD
Admission
$10.00 - Adults
$2.00 - Students and seniors with ID
Free - Children under 12