Men's Outdoor Track and Field | 4/29/2026 2:00:00 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 2026 Empire 8 Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May 2 at the Polisseni Track and Field Complex on the campus of St. John Fisher. Action begins at 1:30 p.m. Friday and continues at 10 a.m. Saturday. SUNY Geneseo will look to repeat as Empire 8 Champions. The Knights emerged victorious at the 2026 E8 Indoor Championships in February.
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
Purchase Tickets Online (NO CASH Accepted On Site)
https://events.hometownticketing.com/boxoffice/sjfcardinals/L2VtYmVkL2V2ZW50LzM5NA%3D%3D
2026 Empire 8 Team Capsules (Order Based on 2025 Championship Finish)
SUNY Geneseo enters the 2026 Empire 8 Outdoor Championship ranked fourth nationally in the Division III Track and Field Ratings Index. The defending E8 Champion Knights have a host of standout individuals, who look to excel this weekend. The Knights currently have the E8 leader in 12 different events entering the weekend. Senior Ryan Hagan is in the midst of an historic season. He is the current Empire 8 leader and record holder in the 800-meters (1:49.09), 1,500-meters (3:38.67, fastest all time in Division III history) and 5,000-meters (13:55.68). He is the defending E8 Champion in the 1,500-meters. Jacob Miller, the defending E8 Champion in the 200- and 400-meters, has the fastest time nationally to date in the 400-meters (46.77 seconds) this season. Emerson Comer was the 2025 Empire 8 Outdoor Championship Track Athlete of the Meet after winning both the 3,000-meter steeplechase and 5,000-meters. He enters the 2026 meet ranked 12th nationally in the steeplechase and 17th in the 5,000-meters. Teammate Pierce Young is ranked seventh in the 3,000-steeplechase. Sam Belmont enters the meet ranked eighth nationally in the 400-meter hurdles. Tim Sheahan is the defending league champion in the 800-meters. Ray Trottier enters the championship meet second among E8 student-athletes in the shot put, while Jayden Carroll is third in the discus and David Lang is first in the javelin.
SUNY Brockport earned runner-up honors in its first season as a league member in 2025 and will look to earn its first league title this weekend. The Golden Eagles have tremendous depth throughout the lineup. Gabriel Giannini is ranked tenth nationally in the decathlon with 6,687 points and enters the meet ranked in the top-six in the E8 in the 100-meters, high jump, pole vault, long jump and javelin. Jeremy Chen is the defending E8 Champion in the 400-meter hurdles, while Derek Grinshaw is the defending 100-meters champion. Michael Durski is a contender in the 400-meters, while Tim Smith is ranked in the top-30 nationally in the 800-meters. He, along with teammate Ayden Grinion, are ranked inside the top-20 nationally in the 400-meter hurdles this season. Jared Smith is ranked 26th nationally in the 10,000-meters. On the field side, Cardin Chau is a strong contender in the high jump, while Dennis Bobbitt, Tyler Judd and Colin Dicks will contend in the high jump. Bobbitt is the current E8 leader in the triple jump, ranked 25th nationally.
Host
St. John Fisher is looking to regain the league title and earn its fourth overall championship in 2026. Hayden Penna and Oren Welch form a potent 1-2 punch in the high jump, Penna is looking for his third straight E8 title in the event and is ranked fourth nationally in the event with a vault of 5.10 meters, which is second best in league history. Welch enters third in the league in the event. On the throws side, Brandon Kaplan, the 2025 Empire 8 Outdoor Track and Field Championship Field Athlete of the Meet, is looking to garner his third straight league title in the hammer throw and enters the 2026 Championship with a top toss of 60.07 meters, which is sixth in Division III. Daniel Davis and Michael Zatlukal are first and second, respectively in the league in the discus entering the championship. London Premo enters the weekend ranked third in the decathlon among E8 student-athletes. Dylan Rose will be a contender in the jumps. Sprinters Gabriel Cromer and Ethan Fox will look to medal in both the 100- and 200-meter events. Trystan Biller and Welch are contenders in the 110-meter hurdles, as is Mason Wagner in the 400-hurdles. Jace Stuart will represent the Cardinals in the middle distance events and look to gain key points.
Utica will attempt to earn its third Empire 8 Championship in five seasons. Junior Bennett Melita has the 11th best time nationally in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:03.22) and is also third in the conference in the 5,000-meters and fifth in the 1,500-meters. Tanner Warren is a strong contender in both the 200- and 400-meters. Eddy Corporan will look to earn valuable points in the 800-meters. Tobias Jeralds will look to excel in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, while Riley Smith and Timothy Jeralds are contenders in the 400-meter hurdles. As always, Utica has an incredibly deep group of throwers, who will look to score several points. Spencer Borghardt is ranked 28th nationally in the hammer throw, while Michael Christensen, Logan Hewitt and Nikos Johnson will also contribute. Louis Pinto and Kaiden McCaskill enter as the last two Empire 8 Champions in the high jump. McCaskill is the top jumper to date in the league this season. Aaron Johnson enters the weekend fourth in the pole vault, while Wayne Spencer is second in the long jump and fourth in the triple jump. Teammate Justin Couture enters the championship third in the conference in the triple jump.
Nazareth is looking to get back to the top of the E8 standings. The Golden Flyers have a strong contingent of field athletes looking to earn key points this weekend. Senior Jack Pomykaj is the three-time defending Empire 8 Champion in the decathlon and enters the 2026 Championship ranked second in the league in the event. Graeden Heichberger and David Dobrowolski are both top contenders in the hammer throw. Heichberger has the 24th best toss in the event nationally this season, while Dobrowolski is 36th. Heichberger is also the E8 leader in the shot put and is ranked 17th nationally in the event. Dylan Buckingham, Will D’Agata and Pomykaj will contend for medals in the pole vault. On the track side, Cameron Almy will look to garner a league title in the 10,000-meters. Michael Puglisi is a former league champion on the 400-meters (2024), while Gavin McAllister was the 2024 E8 Champion in the 800-meters.
Houghton will look to earn a top-three team finish. The Highlanders have several distance runners who will look to score key points, including Amos Bixler, Ben Allen and Salim Ford. Henry Sardina is a strong contender in the 800-meters, while Claveze Robinson and Kealon Knight will look for points in the sprint events. Michael Solomon enters the E8 Championship ranked third in the conference in the 110-meters. Triple jumper Ryan Sperl is sixth in the league entering the weekend, while Jackson Collins enters third in the javelin. Houghton’s 4 x 800-meter relay team is the defending Empire 8 Champions.
Alfred enters the 2026 Empire 8 Championship looking to improve off seventh place finish last season. Junior Zion Bailey was the 2024 Empire 8 Champion in both the long jump and triple jump and enters the 2026 Championship ranked inside the top-5 in both events. David Winchenbach is expected to contend in the 110-meter hurdles, while Zachary Schultz is a candidate to earn points in the 400-meter hurdles. Khamani Hunter is a top sprinter for the Saxons, while Finnegan Dean and JJ Hodges will compete in the middle-distance events. Sekou Camara enters the championship fifth in the high jump, while Seth Stevens will contend in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Russell Sage is looking to continue its ascent up the E8 rankings. First-year Kishamar Glasgow is ranked seventh in the javelin, while fellow first year Christopher Whalen is a contender in the 1,500-meters. Dylan Lawless will look to excel in the hurdles in addition to the pole vault and long jump. Isaac Langer is a contender in the javelin, while the Sage relay teams look to earn points.
Hartwick will look to improve off last year’s finish in 2026. Sprinter Cody Bazemore enters the meet as the top-seed in the 100-meters with a time of 10.52 seconds. He is also in contention in the 200-meters, alongside teammate Shane Hunte. Bazemore is also the current E8 leader in the long jump (7.06 meters), ranked inside the top-50 nationally. Marquis Jones-McKinney enters the weekend ranked third in the E8 in the high jump, while Kesean Leonard will look to medal in the triple jump. Patrick Conteh will look to garner points in the hurdles, while Hartwick’s relay teams will look to excel this weekend.
Current 2026 Empire 8 Outdoor Track and Field Top Performances
100-meter dash – Cody Bazemore, Hartwick – :10.52
200-meter dash – Andrew Kent, SUNY Geneseo – :21.65
400-meter dash – Jacob Miller, SUNY Geneseo – :46:77 – (1st in Division III)
800-meter run – Ryan Hagan, SUNY Geneseo – 1:49.09 – (3rd in Division III)
1,500-meter run – Ryan Hagan, SUNY Geneseo – 3:38:67– (First in Division III; Empire 8 Record; NCAA Division III Record)
5,000-meter run – Ryan Hagan, SUNY Geneseo – 13:55:69 – (3rd in Division III; Empire 8 Record)
10,000-meter run – Emerson Comer, SUNY Geneseo – 29:53.00 – (17th in Division III)
110-meter hurdles – William Hawken, SUNY Geneseo – :14.83
400-meter hurdles – Sam Belmont, SUNY Geneseo – :52.64 – (7th in Division III)
3,000-meter steeplechase – Pierce Young, SUNY Geneseo – 8:56.56 – (7th in Division III)
4 x 100-meter relay – SUNY Brockport – :41.58
4 x 400-meter relay – SUNY Geneseo – 3:09.63 – (3rd in Division III)
High Jump – Kaiden McCaskill, Utica – 2.00 meters (6’6.75”)
Long Jump – Cody Bazemore, Hartwick – 7.06 meters (23’2”) – (43rd in Division III)
Triple Jump – Dennis Bobbit, SUNY Brockport – 14.38 meters (47’2.25”) – (25th in Division III)
Pole Vault – Hayden Penna, St. John Fisher – 5.10 meters (16’8.75”) – (4th in Division III)
Shot Put – Graeden Heichberger, Nazareth – 16.84 meters (55’3”) – (17th in Division III)
Discus Throw – Daniel Davis, St. John Fisher – 44.46 meters (145’10”)
Hammer Throw – Brandon Kaplan, St. John Fisher – 60.07 meters (197’1”) – (6th in Division III)
Javelin Throw – David Lang, SUNY Geneseo – 54.81 meters (179’10”)
Decathlon – Gabriel Giannini, SUNY Brockport – 6,687 points – (10th in Division III)
For the most up to date information on this year's championship, follow the Empire 8 Conference on X (@Empire8).