Women's Cross Country | 10/28/2026 11:00:00 AM
Nationally-ranked SUNY Geneseo will look to earn its third straight Empire 8 title when the 2026 Empire 8 Women’s Cross Country Championship takes place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 31 at the SUNY Poly Cross Country Course in Utica, NY. Eleven teams will compete in the 6,000-meter championship. Live results will be available from
www.leonetiming.com.
SUNY Geneseo enters the championship seeking a third straight Empire 8 title after winning the 2025 crown with just 22 points, its 14th consecutive conference championship overall. The Knights enter the Championship ranked 12th in the most recent NCAA Division III Women’s Cross Country National poll and second in the Niagara Region rankings. Geneseo has won three team events this season and have won 14 straight league titles (12 SUNYAC, two Empire 8). Last season, Geneseo also was second at the Niagara Region Championships and sent a team to nationals for the 25th straight season. Head coach Dan Moore’s Knights return a deep group of All-Empire 8 performers, led by junior Ari Reback, runner-up at the 2025 championship (22:43.5), and senior Jillian O’Rourke, ninth a year ago, both first-team selections. Katie Bauman, Greylynn Guyer, Annabelle Czekanski, Ella Grinnell and Alexa Kosier all earned second-team honors last fall, while Lily Benza was a third-team selection. Sophomore Kaitlyn Hotaling was the 2025 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year. Senior Shelby Boise added a 2026 Empire 8 Runner of the Week honor after placing second at the RPI Fairground Showdown in 21:10.5 over 6,000 meters last month.
Houghton University was the Empire 8 runner-up in 2025 with 69 points and will look to challenge for the team title. The Highlanders return junior Emberlynn Nolt, who placed 18th to earn second-team All-Empire 8 honors, along with sophomore Amy Collins, a second-team selection after finishing 14th. Sophomore Jenna Binney and senior Aria Larson earned third-team honors with 23rd- and 26th-place finishes, respectively. Senior Risa Palmer has also excelled for Houghton this season. The group provides Houghton with multiple returning conference scorers as it seeks another top finish under first-year head coach Kari Elliot.
SUNY Brockport enters the championship looking to build on its third-place finish in 2025. Sophomore Salma Moumen was the Golden Eagles’ top finisher at last year’s conference championship, placing eighth to earn first-team All-Empire 8 honors. Junior Ethne Degan followed in 11th place to earn second-team recognition; both runners went on to collect All-Niagara Region accolades. Sophomore Madison Kirkpatrick and newcomers Reese Roberts and Grace Kosmoski have excelled this season and will look to make a big impact Saturday. The Golden Eagles won the Houghton Highlander Invitational Championship on Oct. 10 will look to contend near the top of the team standings. Brockport is ranked ninth in the most recent Niagara Region rankings.
Nazareth University looks to move up from its fourth-place finish at the 2025 championship (94 points). The Golden Flyers return two third-team All-Empire 8 selections in seniors Meghan Moyer and Bailey Visingard, who finished 19th and 21st, respectively, last fall. Moyer, the 2023 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, and Visingard provide experienced leadership as Nazareth aims to challenge. Senior Kelsey Fahy, Jane Beyer, Felicity Schreier and Ella Pentz will look to provide valuable scoring depth.
Utica University placed fifth at the 2025 Empire 8 Championship with 137 points and returns one of the league’s leading individual contenders in senior Marlo Townsend. Townsend finished fifth at the 2025 championship (22:55.7) to earn first-team All-Empire 8 honors and later earned All-Niagara Region recognition. Junior Catherine Manna, who placed 18th last season, returns as a second-team All-E8 selection. Townsend has continued her strong form in 2026, earning Empire 8 Runner of the Week recognition after finishing sixth overall and first among league competitors at the Kara Hall Memorial Invitational in 23:30.2. Junior Nicole Arnhold and sophomore Lacey Simmons will also look to excel on Saturday.
St. John Fisher University looks to improve on its sixth-place finish at the 2025 championship. Seniors Maggie Bacon and junior Brianne Hurlburt, both featured among the league’s 2026 preseason players to watch, will look to provide leadership and depth. Bacon recorded a season’s best 6,000-meter time of 24:02.1 at the 2026 Highlander Invitational. Junior Abby Nash was Fisher’s top finisher at the prestigious Mike Woods Invitational on Oct. 16, while Bailee Burton will also contribute for first-year head coach Trisha Byler.
Hartwick College looks to build on its seventh-place finish at the 2025 championship. Junior Julia Weinschreider was one of the Hawks’ leading finishers last fall, placing 56th in 26:16.9 and has returned to lead the way for the Hawks, while sophomore Amelia Steitz finished 73rd. Both were 2026 Empire 8 players to watch. Sophomores Lilianna Van De Water and Emilia Murphy will also look to excel this weekend. Head coach Nathan Crews will look to the returning group to continue Hartwick’s progress.
Alfred University will look to improve on its eighth-place finish at the 2025 Empire 8 Championship. Sophomore Vladyslava Makarenko led the Saxons at the conference meet, placing 53rd in 26:41.1, and sophomore Sydney Ribble followed as Alfred’s second finisher in 68th place (27:03.1). Both competed at the Niagara Region Championships last season and return as key contributors for head coach Matt Phillips.
Russell Sage College will look to continue developing its women’s cross country program at the 2026 championship. Sophomore Sydney Elmendorf is among the Gators’ returning runners, and will be joined by newcomers Matilda Gish, Angela King and Caitlyn Lentner. The Gators will seek continued improvement at SUNY Poly.
Keuka College aims to improve upon its ninth-place finish at the 2025 Empire 8 Championship). Sophomore Victoria Hirner led the Wolves at the conference meet, finishing 90th overall in 29:49.8, while junior Christiana Curtis placed 96th in 32:20.1. Both are among Keuka’s 2026 players to watch as the Wolves continue building under head coach Ryan Johnson. Hirner was named the Empire 8 Runner of the Week on Oct. 26 after her strong finish at Hamilton.
SUNY Poly will compete on its home course at the 2026 Empire 8 Championship. Emma DeMarzio was Poly’s top finisher at the Hamilton Tune-Up Invitational last weekend. Brinley Ronan, Ava Stoby and Alexa Ulanday will look to excel this weekend. Poly will look to use its familiarity with the course to its advantage on championship day.
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.