Men's Indoor Track and Field | 2/25/2026 11:30:00 AM
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 2025-26 Empire 8 Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championships starting at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, February 27 from the Golisano Training Center on the campus of Nazareth. SUNY Geneseo will look to repeat as Empire 8 Champions. Day two action will begin on Saturday, February 28 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.
2025-26 Empire 8 Team Capsules (Order Based on 2024-25 Championship Finish)
SUNY Geneseo heads to Utica this weekend ranked first in the Niagara region and sixth in the most recent USTFCCCA Division III national rankings. The Knights have the top E8 performer in seven events and have set a host of Empire 8 records to date this season. Ryan Hagan has re-written the Empire 8 record book in the mile, 3,000-meters and 5,000-meters this season and ranked fourth nationally in both the mile and 5,000-meters, fifth in the 3,000-meters and 11th in the 800-meters. Jacob Miller is the defending E8 Champion in the 400-meters, was an All-American in the event last season and comes into the 2026 league championship with the fourth best time in Division III. He is also a strong contender in the 200-meters, along with teammate Jack Towns, is the defending E8 Champion in the event. Sam Belmont and Arjun Ojha are strong contenders along with Miller in the 400-meters, while Dawson Wadsworth and Connor Hitt are ranked 2-3 behind Hagan in the 800-meters. Pierce Young, the defending Empire 8 Champion in the 3,000-meters is seeded second in the event heading into the championship and is third in the mile. Emerson Comer is ranked second in the league behind Hagan in the 5,000-meters and third in the 3,000-meters. Collin Brown, Thomas Blake and Kole Owens are also among a host to top Geneseo distance runners looking to medal. Both the 4 x 400-meter relay and distance medley relay teams enter the championship as the top-seed and are the defending E8 Champs. Both are currently ranked fourth nationally. In field events, Chris Desiderio and Matt Towns will contend for medals in the triple jump, while Ray Trottier will contend in the shot put. Will Hawken is currently ranked second in the league for the Knights in the heptathlon and is sixth in the long jump.
SUNY Brockport enters the 2026 E8 Championship ranked second in the Niagara region and 31st in the USTFCCCA Division III national rankings. The Golden Eagles boast a deep group of talented student-athletes across its lineup, including Derek Grimshaw, who is the defending Empire 8 Champion in the 60-meters and enters the weekend with the top time in the league (6.87 seconds), which is also 38th nationally in Division III. Evan Thayer, Aaron Rodriguez and Gabriel Giannini are strong contenders in the event as well. Ayden Grinion is ranked 33rd nationally in the 400-meters, while Tim Smith and Owen Arbocus are ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in the league, in the 800-meters. Howie Vargas and Aidan Meyer are Brockport’s top contenders in the mile, while JJ Montemaro and Caleb Belanger have recorded Brockport’s top times in the distance events this season. Jeremy Chen enters the weekend as the top-ranked E8 student-athlete in the 60-meter hurdles at 8.28 seconds, which is also in the top 40 nationally. On the field side, Giannini is the defending Empire 8 Champion in the heptathlon and enters the meet ranked 15th nationally with 4,869 points. He is also a 2025 NCAA All-American in the long jump and is 15th nationally in the event this season. In addition, Giannini is ranked third in the E8 in the pole vault. Sophomore Cardin Chau is the current E8 leader in the high jump. Sophomore Dennis Bobbitt is the current Empire 8 leader in both the triple jump and long jump. Hie leap of 14.86 meters in the triple jump is currently seventh nationally and leap of 7.30 meters in the long jump is currently eighth in Division III. Mitchell Ellsworth leads a strong group of Brockport throwers looking to make an impact as well.
St. John Fisher is looking for its sixth Empire 8 crown in 2026. The Cardinals enter the meet with the current top performer in three of 17 events. Hayden Penna, the 2024 Empire 8 Indoor Track and Field Rookie of the Year and two-time defending E8 Champion in the pole vault, is ranked seventh nationally in the event at 5.02 meters. He also has the second-best vault all-time among E8 student-athletes. Oren Welch is seeded right behind Penna in the pole vault and has a top 40 vault nationally this season. Brandon Kaplan is the defending E8 Champion in the weight throw and is currently 14th nationally with a distance of 18.82 meters. Corinthian Reed enters the meet as the E8 leader in the 200-meters, while he and Elijah Burnley are top contenders in the 60-meters. Trystan Biller and Oren Welch are Jace Stuart enters the championship meet ranked fourth in the E8 in the mile and fifth in the 3,000-meters Daniel Davis enters the championship meet ranked third in the shot put, while Samuel Burns is seventh in the long jump. Dylan Rose and Bryant DePaull are contenders in the high jump.
Utica will vie for the E8 Indoor crown in 2026. The Pioneers come into the Empire 8 Championship ranked fifth in the USTFCCCA Niagara Region. As always, Utica has a bevy of prolific throwers, including Spencer Borghardt and Joshua Talbot, who are ranked third and fourth, respectively in the E8 in the weight throw. Borghardt is also ranked 21st nationally and Talbot, 39th. Logan Hewitt enters the E8 meet fifth in the shot out, while Wayne Spencer and Justin Couture are medal contenders in the long jump and triple jump. Kaiden McCaskill is also ranked second in the high jump, while Louis Pinto is fourth. Aaron Johnson will look to earn a medal in the pole vault. Tanner Warren held the previous Empire 8 record in the 400-meters and enters the meet ranked third in the league in the event and fourth in the 200-meters., while Nolan Flynn will also contend in the sprint events. Bennett Melita, the 2023 and 2025 Empire 8 Cross Country Champion, won, the 2024 E8 Championship in the 3,000-meters and is a strong contender in both distance events and the mile. Cade Taveras is ranked fourth in the league in the 60-meter hurdles, while both the 4 x 400-meter relay and distance medley relay teams will look garner E8 titles.
Nazareth won the 2023 and 2024 Empire 8 Indoor Track and Field Championships and will look to get back to the top of the pack this weekend at its home venue. Graeden Heichberger enters the meet as the top-seed in the shot put and is 27th nationally in the event with a toss of 16.42 meters. Teammate David Dobrowolski is ranked 20th nationally in the weight throw and second in the conference with a throw of 18.35 meters. Heichberger is also a strong candidate in the weight throw. Jack Pomykaj was the 2024 Empire 8 Champion in the heptathlon and enters this weekend with a top score of 4,507 points, which is third in the E8 this season. Aaron Lund is also a top contender in the event, ranked right behind Pomykaj with a score of 4,315 points. Dylan Buckingham, Will D’Agata and Nathan Sinclair will look to medal in the pole vault, while Adam Reifsteck will contend in the triple jump. Michael Puglisi, 2024 E8 Champion in the 400-meters, will attempt to win the title for the second time, while Gavin McAllister is seeded seventh in the 800-meters. Cam Almy will look to earn podium finishes in the distance events.
Houghton will look for a top three team finish in 2026. Amos Bixler was the Empire 8 Champion in the 800-meter run and enters the 2026 Championship meet seeded second in the mile and fourth in the 3,000-meters. Henry Sardina will look to earn a podium finish in the 800-meters. Kealon Knight is Houghton’s top sprinter, while Ben Allen will represent Houghton in the distance events. Houghton’s distance medley relay team comes in ranked second in the league and inside the top 50 nationally. Ryan Sperl enters the championship meet ranked seventh in the conference in the triple jump, while Michael Solomon is seeded sixth in the 60-meter hurdles.
Alfred enters the 2026 Empire 8 Championship looking to improve off last season’s seventh place finish. Khamani Hunter will look to medal in both the 60- and 200-meters, as he enters the meet with top 12 times in both events. JJ Hodges will look to impress in the 400-meters, while Zachary Schultz and David Winchenbach and are set to compete in the 60-meter hurdles. Finnegan Dean cracked two minutes in the 800-meters, while both relay teams will look to earn medals. On the field side, Sekou Camara is ranked eighth in the high jump, while Daimel Fowler is a contender in both the shot put and wight throw.
Hartwick will continue its upward trajectory as a young program. Codey Bazemore enters the meet ranked second in the 60-meters with a time of 6.93 seconds. He is also seeded third in the long jump and sixth in the 200-meters. Senior Marquis Jones-Mckinney is seeded third in the high jump, having cleared 1.96 meters earlier in the season. Patrick Conteh will look to compete in the 60-meter hurdles, while Isaiah Sanon, Jaiden Deacon and Shane Hunte will attempt to earn podium finishes in the sprints.
Russell Sage is primed to continue its ascent as an upstart program. First-year Christopher Whalen has excelled in the middle-distance events, while Dylan Lawless is a contender in the high jump and long jump. He is also ranked eighth in the conference in the heptathlon.
Current 2025-26 Empire 8 Top Performances (TFRRS Lists)
60-meter dash – Derek Grimshaw, SUNY Brockport - :6.87 (38th nationally)
200-meter dash – Corinthian Reed, St. John Fisher – :22.18
400-meter dash – Jacob Miller, SUNY Geneseo – :48.27 (fourth nationally)
800-meter run – Ryan Hagan, SUNY Geneseo – 1:53.07 (11th nationally)
Mile run – Ryan Hagan, SUNY Geneseo – 4:02.39 actual, 4:05.50 adjusted (fourth nationally)
3,000-meter run – Ryan Hagan, SUNY Geneseo – 8:08.92 (Empire 8 Record – (fifth nationally)
5,000-meter run – Ryan Hagan, SUNY Geneseo – 14:12.33 (fourth nationally)
60-meter hurdles – Jeremy Chen, SUNY Brockport – :8.28 (39th nationally)
4 x 400-meter relay – SUNY Geneseo – 3:11.77 actual, 3:14.84 adjusted (Empire 8 record – fourth nationally)
Distance Medley relay – SUNY Geneseo – 9:53.37 (third nationally)
High Jump – Cardin Chau, SUNY Brockport – 1.98 meters (6’7.5”) (tied 21st nationally)
Long Jump – Dennis Bobbitt, SUNY Brockport – 7.30 meters (23’11.5”) (eighth nationally)
Triple Jump – Dennis Bobbitt, SUNY Brockport – 14.86 meters (48’9”) (seventh nationally)
Pole Vault – Hayden Penna, St. John Fisher – 5.02 meters (16’5.5”) (seventh nationally)
Shot Put – Graeden Heichberger, Nazareth – 16.42 meters (53’10.5”) (28th nationally)
Weight Throw – Brandon Kaplan, St. John Fisher – 18.82 meters (61’9”) (14th nationally)
Heptathlon – Gabe Giannini, SUNY Brockport – 4,869 points (15th nationally)
For the most up to date information on this year's championship, follow the Empire 8 Conference on Twitter (@Empire8).
Admission (Friday or Saturday Single Day)
$7.00 - Adults
Free - Students and seniors with ID/Children under 12
Admission (Two Day Pass)
$10.00 - Adults
Free - Students and seniors with ID/Children under 12