Women's Soccer | 10/31/2025 1:00:00 PM
SUNY Brockport, St. John Fisher University, Nazareth University, Hartwick College, Utica University, SUNY Geneseo, Houghton University and Alfred University will battle for the 2025 Empire 8 Women’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. 2, as No. 1 Brockport will host No. 8 Alfred, No. 2 St. John Fisher hosts No. 7 Houghton, No. 6 SUNY Geneseo travels to take on No. 3 Nazareth and No. 5 Utica heads east to face No. 4 Hartwick. The winner of Brockport vs. Alfred will take on the winner of Hartwick vs. Utica on Wednesday, Nov. 5 in one semifinal, while the winner of St. John Fisher vs. Houghton will face the winner of Nazareth vs. SUNY Geneseo 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 Women’s Soccer Championship, which begins with first and second round action on Nov. 15-16.
2025 Empire 8 Women's Soccer Championship Participating Teams
No. 1 – SUNY Brockport (31 points, 10-0-1 E8, 12-1-4 Overall)
No. 2 – St. John Fisher University (28 points, 9-1-1 E8, 10-4-2 Overall)
No. 3 – Nazareth University (20 points, 6-3-2 E8, 8-6-3 Overall)
No. 4 – Hartwick College (19 points, 5-2- E8, 8-3-6 Overall)
No. 5 – Utica University (19 points, 5-2-4 E8, 8-5-5 Overall)
No. 6 – SUNY Geneseo (19 points, 5-2-4 E8, 5-5-7 Overall)
No. 7 – Houghton University (17 points, 5-4-2 E8, 11-4-3 Overall)
No. 8 – Alfred University (11 points, 3-6-2 E8, 7-9-2 Overall)
SUNY Brockport earned the Empire 8 Regular Season Championship for the second straight season, finishing the regular season 10-0-1 in league play and 12-1-4 overall. Brockport is 20-1-1 in its first two regular seasons of Empire 8 play. The Golden Eagles have outscored their opponents, 32-5 in 2025, with 14 clean sheets. Brockport has a balanced scoring attack, with seven players recording at least three goals. Amelia Breton leads Brockport in scoring with 17 points on seven goals and three assists, while Megan Gerber has five goals and 12 points and Caitlin has three goals and a team-high five assists. Emily McCane and Madeline McCrosson have split time in net. McCane is 7-0-3 with a 0.15 goals against average and a .950 save percentage, while McCrosson is 3-0-0 with a 0.16 goals against average and a .960 save percentage.
St. John Fisher enters the E8 Tournament as the No. 2 seed after finishing 9-1-1 in Empire 8 play. The Cardinals are 27-3-9 in league play over the last four years and have out-scored opponents, 43-8 overall this season and 37-2 in 11 E8 contests. Emily Woolingham leads the Cardinals in scoring with 27 points on 10 goals and seven assists, while Madelyn Wania has seven goals and seven assists for 21 points. Overall, seven Cardinals have at least three goals. Avery Byrnes has appeared in 11 games for the Cardinals in net and has a 0.40 goals against average and an 0.882 save percentage. The Cardinals have 10 clean sheets as a team in 2025.
Nazareth, who won the 2021, 2022 and 2023 E8 Championships before advancing to the title game in 2024, finished the 2025 regular season with a 6-3-2 mark in league play and is looking to win their 14th Empire 8 title overall. Tatum Overton, the 2023 E8 Offensive Player of the Year, leads the Golden Flyers in scoring with 16 points on seven goals and two assists, while recording three game-winning goals. Shannon Sgombick has six goals and 13 points, also having tallied three game-winning goals. Alice O’Connor has a team-high three assists. Goalkeepers Delaney Malone and Katriana Walls have split time in league play this season. Walls has allowed just one goal in 405 minutes across E8 competition with a 0.22 goals against average and 0.952 save percentage.
Hartwick College earned the No. 4 seed in the E8 Tournament with an 8-3-6 overall mark and a 5-2-4 record in league play. The Hawks have allowed just 11 goals in 17 games this season and have recorded 10 clean sheets. Ella Grupe leads the Hawks in scoring with 10 points on three goals and four assists, while Millie Caldon has a team-high four goals and Olivia Farnham has three tallies. Goalkeeper Mikayla Piersa is 8-2-6 in goal with a 0.63 goals against average and an 0.867 save percentage.
Utica is back in the Empire 8 Tournament in 2025 as the No. 5 seed. The Pioneers are 8-5-5 overall and finished 5-2-4 in Empire 8 play. Utica has outscored its foes 38-10 this season, with six players having scored at least four goals this season. Amber Piersma leads the Pioneers in scoring with 24 points on 11 goals and a pair of assists, while Madison Wagner has 13 points on four goals and a team-high five assists. Rylee Lamphere, Cora Kraft, Samantha Ferguson and Bailey Hawson all have four goals. Goalkeeper Hannah Pcola is 7-4-5 with a 0.56 goals against average and an 0.896 save percentage. She has six solo shutouts and three combined clean sheets.
SUNY Geneseo, the No. 6 seed, is looking to make it back-to-back Empire 8 Championships. The Knights have allowed just 12 goals in 17 games overall and finished 5-2-4 in E8 play. Ella Yartym leads the Knights in scoring this season with 11 points on five goals and an assist, while Kirsten Shepherd has three goals and Abby Foster has a team-best three assists. Goalkeeper Emily McLouth has started 15 games in net for the Knights and has a 0.63 goals against average and an .871 save percentage.
Houghton is making its fifth appearance in the Empire 8 Tournament. The Highlanders finished with five wins in E8 play to earn the No. 7 seed and are 11-4-3 overall. Hope Russell leads the Highlanders in scoring with 21 points on 10 goals and an assist, while Elena Esh has seven goals 17 points and Taylor Curyto has 14 goals on five goals and four assist. Five of Russell’s 10 goals are game-winners, while six different Highlanders have at least four goals. Defender Elizabeth Wertz has played nearly1,600 minutes of action this season. Goalkeeper Preslee Miller has played in every game and has nine solo shutouts this season to go along with a 0.88 goals against average and an 0.861 save percentage.
No. 8 seed Alfred enters the tournament having allowed just 18 goals in 18 games this season. Lina Young leads the team in scoring with 17 points on seven goals and three assists this season, while Abby Scanlan has a team-high five assists to go along with two goals for nine points and Julia Flaitz has four goals. Four of Young’s seven goals were game-winners. Goalkeeper Kiani Barnard-Pratt has played in all 18 games for the Saxons and has a 0.96 goals against average and an .814 save percentage.
First round opponents Brockport and Alfred met earlier in the season on Oct. 5, with Brockport earning a 2-1 win. St. John Fisher knocked off its first-round opponent Houghton by a score of 4-0 on Oct. 15, while Nazareth and Geneseo played to a scoreless draw at Golden Flyers Stadium on Oct. 15. Hartwick pulled out a 1-0 win over its first-round opponent Utica from Gaetano Stadium on Oct. 15.
Nazareth is looking for its fourth title in the last five seasons and 14th league championship overall, while Geneseo is looking to repeat as champions and Utica is aiming to win its second E8 title, also having won in 2019. Hartwick was an Empire 8 co-Champion in 2017. Brockport, St. John Fisher, Houghton, and Alfred are all looking for their first league championship.
This E8 championship schedule is below. For the most up to date information on this year's championship, visit
www.empire8.com or follow the Empire 8 Conference on X and Instagram (@Empire8).
2025 Empire 8 Women's Soccer Championship Schedule
Saturday, November 1 – First Round
No. 8 Alfred at No. 1 SUNY Brockport – 4 p.m.
No. 7 Houghton at No. 2 St. John Fisher – 3 p.m.
No. 6 SUNY Geneseo at No. 3 Nazareth – 2 p.m.
No. 5 Utica at No. 4 Hartwick – 1 p.m.
Wednesday, November 5 – Semifinals (at Higher Seed)
Winner of SUNY Brockport/Alfred vs. Winner of Hartwick/Utica – TBA
Winner of St. John Fisher/Houghton vs. Winner of Nazareth/SUNY Geneseo – TBA
Saturday, November 8 - Championship Final
Winner of Semifinal Game 1 vs. Winner of Semifinal Game 2 at Highest Remaining Seed – TBA
Admission
$10.00 - Adults
$2.00 - Students and seniors with ID
Free - Children under 12