Men's Indoor Track and Field | 2/26/2025 2:15:15 PM
Alfred University, SUNY Brockport, SUNY Geneseo, Hartwick College, Houghton University, Nazareth University, Russell Sage College, St. John Fisher University and Utica University will compete at the two-day 2024-25 Empire 8 Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championships starting at 2 p.m. on Friday, February 28 from the Todd and Jen Hutton Sports and Recreation Center on the campus of Utica. Nazareth will look to earn its third straight Empire 8 Championship. Day two action will begin on Saturday, March 1 at 11 a.m.
Live results will be available on Friday and Saturday. For more on this year's championship - including entries, results, and updated information - please head to the
Championship Central page.
2024-25 Empire 8 Team Capsules (Order Based on 2023-24 Championship Finish)
Nazareth will look to earn its third straight Empire 8 Indoor Track and Field Championship this weekend. Senior Cade Eells, the 2023 Empire 8 Cross Country Co-Runner of the Year, and 2023 E8 Indoor Track Athlete of the Meet and Track Athlete of the Year, is the two-time defending indoor champion in the mile and enters this weekend is a top contender in the 800-meters, mile, and 3,000-meters. Nazareth boasts the last two E8 Indoor Champions in the 400-meters, Michael Puglisi (2024) and Ben Lewis (2023). Lewis was also the 2022 E8 Indoor Co-Rookie of the Year. Ethan Kenyon will also contend for medals in the mile and 3,000-meters, while Thomas Holden will look to excel in the 60-meter hurdles. Jack Pomykaj is the defending Empire 8 Champion in the heptathlon and Pomykaj enters this weekend with a top score of 4,528 points, which is third in the E8 this season. Pomykaj also enters the championship seeded fifth in the pole vault. Adam Reifsteck is a strong contender to medal in the triple jump, while throwers Graeden Heichberger and David Dobrowolski are aiming to medal in both the shot put and weight throw.
Utica, the Empire 8 runner-up in the last two E8 Indoor Championships and 2024 Outdoor Champions, will vie for the E8 Indoor crown in 2025. The Pioneers have a bevy of prolific throwers, including Hunter Logan, a three-time All-American, who is ranked 17th nationally in the shot put. He is the three-defending champion in the event. Joshua Talbot, Michael McNeil, Spencer Borghardt and Blake Gannon are also among the current E8 leaders in both throwing events. Senior sprinter Andy Hadasz is the two-time defending Empire 8 Champion in the 200-meters and has the top time in the league this season (22.27 seconds). Tanner Warren held the Empire 8 record in the 400-meters earlier in the season and enters the meet ranked second in the league., while Nolan Flynn will also contend in the sprint events. Bennett Melita, the 2023 Empire 8 Cross Country Rookie and Runner of the Year, is the defending E8 Champion in the 3,000-meters and is a strong contender in both distance events and the mile. Tyshawn Taylor is ranked third in the league in the 60-meter hurdles, while both the 4 x 400-meter relay and distance medley relay teams will look to repeat as E8 Champions. Ellis Urgent is a strong contender to medal in the long jump, ranked second in the league in the event, while Kaiden McCaskill is also ranked second in the high jump.
St. John Fisher is looking for its sixth Empire 8 crown in 2025. The Cardinals enter the meet with the current top performer in four of 17 events. Sean Cochrane, the 2024 Empire 8 Field Athlete of the Indoor Championship and 2024 E8 Indoor Field Athlete of the Year, is the defending champion and current E8 leader in the high jump, with a leap of 2.02 meters, which is also tied for 21st best in Division III. Hayden Penna, the 2024 Empire 8 Indoor Track and Field Rookie of the Year and defending E8 Champion in the pole vault, is ranked 36th nationally in the event at 4.72 meters. Brandon Kaplan is the current E8 leader in the weight throw, also ranked 23rd nationally with a distance of 17.99 meters, while Manuel Sepulveda is the E8 leader in the triple jump with a leap of 14.37 meters, which is also 17th in all of Division III. He is also ranked third in the conference in the long jump. Joey Curr and Daniel Davis are among the league leaders in the shot put, while Dylan Rose and Bryant DePaull are contenders in the high jump. Gabriel Cromer, Corinthian Reed, and Brady Bishop will look to earn key points in the sprint events for St. John Fisher.
Houghton will look for a top-three team finish in 2025. Evan Kurtz enters the meet as the top E8 seed in the 60-meters at 6.94 seconds, while Kealon Knight will also look to earn a medal. Amos Bixler is the Empire 8 defending champion in the 800-meter run, while Henry Sardina will also look to excel in the event. Ben Allen and James Eustace will represent Houghton in the distance events. Zach Tucker, Amos Bixler and James Bixler and James Eustace will contend in the middle-distance events. Avery Belanger is the defending Empire 8 Champion in the triple jump and has a top leap of 13.21 meters this season. Andrew Ryan will contend in the heptathlon.
Alfred enters the 2024 Empire 8 Championship looking to improve off last season’s fifth place finish. Jason Crocker enters the championship meet with the fourth best shot put in the league at 15.05 meters. Khamani Hunter will look to medal in both the 60- and 200-meters, as he enters the meet with top-10 times in both events. Neil Peters will also contend in the 60-meters, while JJ Hodges will look to impress in the 400-meters and Elijah Kahl will compete in the 60-meter hurdles, while the 4 x 400-meter relay team will look for a top-three finish. Daimel Fowler is set to compete in the shot put, alongside Crocker.
Hartwick will continue its upward trajectory as a young program. Codey Bazemore enters the meet ranked seventh in the E8 in the long jump and will look to reach the podium in the 60-meters. Luca Montesano will look to impress in the 60-meter hurdles, while Marquis Jones-McKinney and Corey Quomony will compete in the jumps.
Russell Sage is primed to continue its ascent as an upstart program. Junior David Adadjo is a candidate in the 60-, 200- and 400-meters, as he is Russell Sage’s record holder in all three events. Dylan Lawless is a contender in the high jump, while the 4 x 400-meter relay team will look for a top-three finish.
SUNY Brockport enters its first Empire 8 Championship ranked third in the Niagara region and boast a deep group of talented student-athletes across its lineup. Jonathan Zavala is a top contender in the 800-meters, mile, and 3,000-meters. He is the E8 leader in the mile (4:11.81) this season, ranked 24th nationally and is also ranked inside the top-20 nationally in the 800-meters. Owen Arbocus and Charlie Alekson are also strong contenders in the middle-distance events. Sprinter Aaron Ottenwalder enters the weekend tied for the E8 lead in the 60-meters (6.94 seconds), while Derek Grimshaw is right behind at 6.98 seconds. Jeremy Chen and Kevin enter the weekend ranked second and fourth, respectively in the 60-meter hurdles. On the field side, Gabriel Giannini is the current E8 leader in the long jump and is second in the pole vault. His leap of 7.23 meters in the long jump places him 10th in Division III. Giannini is also the top-seed and among the top-25 nationally in the heptathlon with a score of 4,753 points, just ahead of teammate Tyler Miller, who enters the weekend second in the league in the heptathlon. Dennis Bobbitt is currently second in the E8 in the triple jump and fourth in the long jump. Cardin Chau is second in the high jump, while Daniel Reinhart is third in the pole vault.
SUNY Geneseo heads to Utica this weekend ranked second in the Niagara region and 24th in the most recent USTFCCCA Division III national rankings. The Knights have the top E8 performer in seven events and have set four Empire 8 records to date this season. Jacob Miller is the top overall seed in the 400-meters and set an E8 record with a time of 48.02 seconds earlier this season. He is ranked 17th nationally in the event. E8 Cross Country Champion Ryan Hagan is the top E8 seed in the 800-meters, ranked 13th nationally with a time of 1:53.56. Hagan is also a top contender in the mile, seeded second in the league. Charlie Wilson smashed both the Empire 8 3,000- and 5.000-meter records earlier this season and is the top-seed, nationally ranked in both events. Pierce Young, Anson Butler and Emerson Comer are also both top contenders in each distance event. Brendan Style is the top seed in the 60-meter hurdles this weekend. Both the 4 x 400-meter relay and distance medley relay teams enter the championship as the top-seed. Earlier this year, the 4 x 400-meter relay team shattered the Empire 8 record (3:13.75) and is ranked fifth nationally. The distance medley quartet is sixth nationally. In field events, Chris Desiderio and Sean Stewart will contend for medals in the triple jump, while Ray Trottier will contend in the shot put. Jonathan McNamara and Daniel Pagan will look to gain valuable points for the Knights in the heptathlon.
Current 2024-25 Empire 8 Top Performances (TFRRS Lists)
60-meter dash – Evan Kurtz, Houghton – :6.94
Aaron Ottenwalder, SUNY Brockport - :6.94
200-meter dash – Andy Hadasz, Utica – :22.27
400-meter dash – Jacob Miller, SUNY Geneseo – :48.02 actual, :48.79 adjusted (Empire 8 Record – 17th nationally)
800-meter run – Ryan Hagan, SUNY Geneseo – 1:53.56 (13th nationally)
Mile run – Jonathan Zavala, SUNY Brockport – 4:11.81 (24th nationally)
3,000-meter run – Charlie Wilson, SUNY Geneseo – 8:21.80 (Empire 8 Record – 31st nationally)
5,000-meter run – Charlie Wilson, SUNY Geneseo – 14:17.41 actual, 14:26.59 adjusted (Empire 8 Record – 22nd nationally)
60-meter hurdles – Brendan Style, SUNY Geneseo – :8.32
4 x 400-meter relay – SUNY Geneseo – 3:13.75 actual, 3:16.85 adjusted (Empire 8 record – fifth nationally)
Distance Medley relay – SUNY Geneseo – 9:58.07 (sixth nationally)
High Jump – Sean Cochrane, St. John Fisher – 2.02 meters (6’7.5”) (tied 21st nationally)
Long Jump – Gabe Giannini, SUNY Brockport – 7.23 meters (23’8.75”) (10th nationally)
Triple Jump – Manuel Sepulveda, St. John Fisher – 14.37 meters (47’1.75”) (17th nationally)
Pole Vault – Hayden Penna, St. John Fisher – 4.72 meters (15’5.75”) (36th nationally)
Shot Put – Hunter Logan, Utica – 16.32 meters (53’6.5”) (tied 17th nationally)
Weight Throw – Brandon Kaplan, St. John Fisher – 17.99 meters (59’0.25”) (23rd nationally)
Heptathlon – Gabe Giannini, SUNY Brockport – 4,753 points (21st nationally)
For the most up to date information on this year's championship, follow the Empire 8 Conference on Twitter (@Empire8).
Admission
$6.00 - Adults
$4.00 - Students and seniors with ID
Free - Children under 12
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.
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