Men's Cross Country | 10/28/2026 2:00:00 PM
Nationally-ranked SUNY Geneseo will look to earn its third straight Empire 8 title when the 2026 Empire 8 Men’s Cross Country Championship takes place at 12 p.m. on Saturday, October 31 at the SUNY Poly Cross Country Course in Utica, NY. Eleven teams will compete in the 8,000-meter championship. Live results will be available at
www.leonetiming.com.
SUNY Geneseo enters as the two-time defending Empire 8 champion after winning the 2025 crown with 24 points. The Knights are ranked third in the most recent NCAA Division III Coaches’ poll and first in the Niagara Region. Geneseo was the national runner-up at the 2025 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships. National All-Americans Emerson Comer and Pierce Young return for the Knights. Comer claimed the prestigious Mike Woods Invitational individual title in a time of 24:58.7 on Oct. 16. The Knights return 2025 first team All-Empire 8 selections James Tette (second), Thomas Blake (fourth), Connor Hitt (fifth), Kole Owens (seventh) and Owen Willard (ninth), as well as 2025 Rookie of the Year Mario Verruto. Senior Collin Brown won the Yellowjacket Invitational in 25:14.3 to earn Empire 8 Runner of the Week honors on Sept. 21. Geneseo won bthe Mike Woods team title against several nationally ranked programs, while also annexing the Yellowjacket Invitational and RPI Fairgrounds Showdown on Sept. 26.
Utica University was the 2025 runner-up with 72 points and returns defending individual champion Bennett Melita, who won his second Empire 8 title in a time of 25:34.2. The senior earned 2025 first team All-Conference honors and was the meet’s Most Outstanding Runner, while competing at the NCAA Championships. He has excelled in 2026 with wins at Rowan’s Inter Regional Border Battle and Wildcat Short Course Invitational, hosted by SUNY Poly. Melita is a two-time Empire 8 Runner of the Week this season. Sophomore Killian Bauer placed 23rd last year to earn third team honors and is off to a strong start in 2026, finishing seventh at Rowan on Oct. 17. Timothy Jeralds will also look to earn All-E8 honors, while newcomers Brandon Knisely and Liam Maxson have gained valuable experience throughout the season. Utica is ranked tenth in the most recent Niagara Region rankings.
Houghton University will look to challenge near the top of the standings after placing third in 2025 with 82 points. Senior Luke Ellis returns after placing 19th at last year’s conference meet to earn third team All-Empire 8 honors, while junior Henry Sardina was 28th. Conor Little, Kurt Atkins, and Evan Geer will also look to excel, as the Highlanders will look replace 2025 first team finisher Amos Bixler (third) and second team finisher Ben Allen (10th). Houghton will aim to use its championship experience to contend for another top-three finish under first-year head coach Kari Elliott.
SUNY Brockport will look to improve on its fourth-place finish in 2025, when the Golden Eagles scored 102 points. Brockport is ranked eighth in the most recent Niagara Region rankings. Among the returning runners expected to contribute are sophomore Tim Smith, an All-American in the 800 meters during the 2025-26 track and field season, and senior Howie Vargas. Graduate student Jace Stuart, a 2025 first team All-Empire 8 selection after finishing eighth while competing for St. John Fisher, has emerged as a leading contender for Brockport this fall. Stuart placed second at the Highlander Invitational on Oct. 10 in 25:01.3 over 8,000 meters and was named Empire 8 Runner of the Week on Oct. 12. Brady Ruediger, Sam Faga and Thomas Canestrari will also look to make a big impact on Saturday.
Nazareth University will look to move up from its fifth-place finish at the 2025 championship, when the Golden Flyers scored 114 points. Sophomores Kaeden Leonidas and Rylan Powell gained valuable championship experience last season, finishing 32nd and 37th respectively, and are among the runners expected to lead Nazareth in 2026. Sophomore Grady Engelbert was Nazareth’s top finisher at the Kara Hall Memorial at SUNY Fredonia on Oct. 2.
St. John Fisher University finished sixth at the 2025 Empire 8 Championship, as first-year head coach Trisha Byler will look to lead the Cardinals up the standings. Junior Connor Stanton and Landon Wertz are among the Cardinals’ featured returning runners; Wertz placed 40th at last year’s league meet and recorded a strong 17th place finish at the Houghton Highlander Invitational on Oct. 10. Newcomers Jack Walker and Jameson Duggan will also look to excel for the Cardinals.
Alfred University will look to build on its seventh-place finish in 2025, when the Saxons scored 184 points. Sophomore Seth Stevens placed 33rd at last year’s championship in 28:16.4 and was Alfred’s leading runner at the Niagara Regional Championship. Senior Jake Taylor finished 55th at the conference meet and 97th at regionals. The duo will be counted on to provide leadership as Alfred seeks to climb the team standings. The Saxons had a 2025 third team All-Empire 8 finisher in Finnegan Dean, who placed 27th.
Hartwick College looks to improve on its eighth-place finish in 2025 under head coach Nathan Crews. First year Andrew Montalvo, Brady Stryker and sophomore Basil Metz in addition to juniors Lawrence McCumiskey and Devon Spalding will look score points this weekend.
SUNY Poly will serve as host of the 2026 Empire 8 Championship at its home cross country course in Utica. The Wildcats finished ninth in the 2025 conference meet and will look to use their familiarity with the venue to their advantage. Cameron Volk was Poly’s top finisher at Hamilton last week and will be joined by Luca Gillia, Ethan Baker, Charles Patterson, Gannon Linsberg and Jack McCarthy this weekend.
Russell Sage College will look to improve on its 10th-place finish at the 2025 Empire 8 Championship. Sophomore Christopher Whalen was the Gators’ leading runner as a first-year student in 2025, placing 52nd overall in 29:24.9. He was the individual medalist at the Hartwick Invitational on Oct. 17. Whalen, Jack Chrostopher, Caleb McCarty and Logan Prince will be counted on to lead Sage’s efforts in the 2026 championship race.
Keuka College will look to move up the conference standings after finishing 11th in 2025. Sophomore Alston Hernandez was the Wolves’ top finisher at last year’s Empire 8 Championship, placing 85th overall. Senior Jacob Coluci also returns with championship experience and is expected to provide leadership as Keuka seeks improved team scoring this fall. Brodie Wood was named the Empire 8 Runner of the Week on Oct. 26 after his strong finish at Hamilton over the weekend.
The 2026 E8 Championship schedule is below. For the most up to date information on this year's championship, follow the Empire 8 Conference on X and Instagram (@Empire8). Live results will be available at
www.leonetiming.com.
2026 Empire 8 Cross Country Championship Schedule
Saturday, October 31
Women’s Championship 6,000-meters) – 11:00 a.m.
Men’s Championship (8,000-meters) – 12:00 p.m.