Men's Outdoor Track and Field | 5/18/2026 11:30:00 AM
Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on May 18, 2026, for games played from May 11 – May 17, 2026. It is the 38th and final Empire 8 weekly honors release of the 2025-26 season. Sports featured include men’s and women’s outdoor track and field.
MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Emerson Comer, SUNY Geneseo, Jr., Distance, South Kortright, NY/South Kortright
Comer won the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2026 All-Atlantic Region Championships, hosted by Ursinus College on May 13 by eight seconds in a time of 8:54.64, which moved him into seventh place nationally in the event.
CO-FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Graden Heichberger, Nazareth, So., Throws, Springville, NY/Springville Griffith
Heichberger won the shot put at the 2026 All-Atlantic Region Championships, hosted by Ursinus College on May 13 with a career-best throw of 17.52 meters (57’ 5.75”). With that throw, Heichberger moved into 13th nationally and punched his ticket to the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships this week. He also placed third in the hammer throw with a throw that traveled 55.71 meters (182’ 9”) It is his third E8 weekly honor of the season.
CO-FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Brandon Kaplan, St. John Fisher, Sr., Throws, Grahamsville, NY/Tr-Valley Central
Kaplan captured his second consecutive regional title in the hammer throw to lead the St. John Fisher men's track and field team in the 2026 All-Atlantic Region Outdoor Championships at Ursinus College on May 13. Kaplan won the hammer throw with a mark of 58.36 meters (191’ 6”), his best career toss in the AARTFC Outdoor Championships. He claimed the championship last year with a throw that traveled 57.59 meters (188’ 11”) and is headed to the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second straight season. It is his third E8 weekly honor of the season.
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Ella Impaglia, Nazareth, Sr., Distance, Gouverneur, NY/Gouverneur
Impaglia wrapped up her tremendous collegiate career by winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase by almost 15 seconds in a career-best time of 10:55.07 at the 2026 All-Atlantic Region Championships, hosted by Ursinus College on May 13. She moved into 32nd nationally in the event.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Samantha Luba, Nazareth, Sr., Multi-Events, Buffalo, NY/Frontier
Luba shattered Nazareth’s program record in the heptathlon for the second straight week at the 2026 All-Atlantic Region Championships, hosted by Ursinus College on May 13-14 and punched her ticket to the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship. Luba collected a career-high 4,694 points. She had personal bests in the javelin throw at 25.41 meters (83' 4") and the 200-meters (26.06). She was the top finisher in the high jump and was second in the 200-meters, 800-meters, and 100-meter hurdles. Luba, who earned her second straight E8 weekly honor, moved into 18th nationally in the heptathlon.