Field Hockey | 8/27/2026 11:00:00 AM
SUNY Geneseo will look to earn their third straight Empire 8 Championship, as the 2026 season gets underway on Sep. 1. E8 league play begins on Sept. 12 with Russell Sage College hosting Alfred University. The remainder of conference play will start on Sep. 19.
The top six teams will advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place with first round action on Saturday, Oct. 31, semifinal contests on Wednesday, Nov. 4 and the championship game on Saturday, Nov. 7. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2026 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship.
Fans can watch all season long, free of charge, on the
Empire 8 Network.
2026 Empire 8 Field Hockey Players to Watch
ALFRED UNIVERSITY - Head Coach Shelby Bourn
Sydney Angelo, Jr. DM, Windsor, NY/Windsor - Angelo is set to be a leader for the 2026 Saxons. Last season, Angelo had one assist and five shots on goal in Alfred's inaugural season.
Mika Larrison, So., D, Centerreach, NY/Centerreach - Larrison held down the defense in her 2025 season with the Saxons. She made two defensive saves on the season and took one shot on goal.
SUNY BROCKPORT - Head Coach Krista Archambeau
Sophia Jones, Sr, M, Akron, NY/Akron - Jones, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, was a 2025 second team All-Conference selection. She totaled two goals and one assist with 13 shots on goal. On defense, she had three defensive saves, tying for first on the team.
Terralyn McLaughlin, Jr., M/D, Holland Patent, NY/Holland Patent - McLaughlin was a 2025 second team All-Conference selection. She was a leader on offense for the Golden Eagles scoring six goals with five assists. She totaled 17 points on the season, tying for the lead on the team.
ELMIRA COLLEGE - Head Coach Jess Galatioto
Madison Fleming, Sr., M, Harpursville, NY/Harpursville - Fleming, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, was a third team All-Conference member in 2025. She totaled 12 points on three goals and six assists on the season.
Madilyn Detschner, So., D, Barker, NY/Barker - Detschner was a quick leader in her debut season for the Soaring Eagles. She held down a defense that recorded a 1.38 goals against average. She was one of only two team members to record a defensive save in 2025.
SUNY GENESEO - Head Coach Margaret McConnell
Ella Grieco, Sr., F, New Hartford, NY/New Hartford - Grieco, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, was the 2025 Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year. She is a two-time NFHCA first team All-Region selection, a 2025 NFHCA first team All-American and first team All-E8 pick. She led the league in total goals (28) and goals per game (1.273). She was second in assists (11) and led the E8 with 67 points, one of the highest single-season totals in league history.
Sara O’Donnell, Sr., M, Lancaster, NY/Lancaster - O’Donnell had a great 2025 season for the Knights. She was a first team All-Conference pick as well as a NFHCA first team All-Region selection. She totaled five points on one goal and three assists on the season and was named the 2025 Empire 8 Field Hockey Championship Most Valuable Player.
HARTWICK COLLEGE - Head Coach Erin Autera
Hope Angioletti, Sr., F, Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay - Angioletti, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, was a first team All-Conference pick as well as NFHCA first team All-Region selection in 2025. She was a top offensive weapon for the Hawks tallying 27 points on eight goals and 11 assists on the season. Her 11 assists put her third in the conference in both assists and held the top spot in assists per game (.647).
Katelyn Klotz, Sr., D, South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls - Klotz, the 2025 Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year, had a tremendous junior season. She earned first team All-Conference as well as NFHCA first team All-Region honors. In addition to her defensive prowess, she was the offensive leader for the Hawks as well, totaling 37 points on 16 goals and five assists. She added one defensive save to her stat sheet for the season as well.
HOUGHTON UNIVERSITY - Head Coach Hannah Ogden
Kylee Barshinger, Jr., F, Denver, PA/Garden Spot - Barshinger was a 2025 second team All-Conference selection. She was the offensive leader for the Highlanders tallying 33 points on 14 goals and five assists on the season. She ranked fourth in the conference in total goals.
Campbell Bowers, Sr., D, Worthington, OH/Thomas Worthington - Bowers, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, had an impressive junior season for the Highlanders. She was a first team All-Conference selection as well as an NFHCA second team All-Region pick. She totaled eight points on three goals and two assists and added one defensive save on the season.
KEUKA COLLEGE - Head Coach Jessica Franklin
Brianna Broadwell, Sr., M, Cato, NY/Cato-Meridian - Broadwell, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, started all 16 games for the Wolves in 2025. She totaled five points on the season with two goals and one assist.
Paige Bull, So., D/M, Lockport, NY/Starpoint - Bull started all 16 games for the Wolves on the defensive side. She will be a leader for the defense in 2026.
NAZARETH UNIVERSITY - Head Coach Kelsey Devine
Michaela Cushman, Jr., M, Holland Patent, NY/Holland Patent - Cushman is a two-time Empire 8 Player to Watch. In 2024 she was the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and second team All-Conference selection. In 2025, she earned first team All-Conference and NFHCA second team All-Region accolades. She set the Golden Flyers single-season points record with 45. She finished her season in the top-30 athletes nationally for goals and points per game.
Kristina Fisher, So., F, Webster, NY/Webster Thomas - In her debut season, Fisher earned Empire 8 third team All-Conference accolades. She started all 20 games for the Golden Flyers and recorded 13 points on six goals and one assist.
RUSSELL SAGE COLLEGE - Head Coach Carissa Warren
Catherine Newkirk, So., M, Marathon, NY/Marathon - In her debut season for the Gators, Newkirk was named Empire 8 second team all-conference and earned an Offensive Player of the Week nod. She totaled nine goals and three assists on the season, earning her 21 points.
Cheyenne Zobel, Sr., M, Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa - Zobel, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, earned All-Empire 8 third team accolades in both 2024 and 2025. In her most recent season, Zobel had two goals and five assists totaling nine points.
ST. JOHN FISHER UNIVERSITY - Head Coach Lauren Scorza
Mary Kate McPhee, Sr., M, Salem, NY/Salem - McPhee, a three-time E8 Player to Watch, was a second team NFHCA All-Region selection in 2025. She landed her third All-conference selection, this time as a first teamer. She enters her senior year with 66 total points on 26 goals and 14 assists. She currently ranks ninth in program history with her 26 career goals. She set career highs in 2025 with 30 points on 11 goals and eight assists playing in all 18 games for the Cardinals.
Alison Taplin, Jr., D, London, United Kingdom/Kingsdale Foundation School - Taplin, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, is also a two-time All-E8 selection. She earned first team honors in 2025. She has been a defensive leader for the Cardinals from the start of her career, playing and starting in all 37 games over the last two seasons. She had seven career points on two goals and three assists to go with her four defensive saves.
UTICA UNIVERSITY - Head Coach Nikki Hobaica
Ryleigh Johnson, Sr., D, Camden, NY/Camden - Johnson was a 2025 third team All-Conference selection. She held down the Pioneers’ defense by leading the team in defensive saves with seven. She added one goal on two shots on goal on the season.
Jocelyn Spiezio, Sr., F, Greenwich, NY/Greenwich - Spiezio was also a 2025 third team All-Conference selection. She was a leader on the offense with 19 points on the season. She had eight goals and three assists on 21 shots on goal.
2025 Empire 8 Field Hockey Standings
Geneseo (20-2, 10-0 E8) - League Champions
Hartwick (11-6, 9-1 E8)
Nazareth (14-6, 8-2 E8)
St. John Fisher (10-8, 7-3 E8)
Houghton (10-6, 6-4 E8)
Brockport (8-10, 5-5 E8)
Russell Sage (5-12, 3-7 E8)
Utica (4-11, 3-7 E8)
Elmira (3-12, 2-8 E8)
Keuka (2-14, 2-8 E8)
Alfred (0-17, 0-10 E8)
2025 Empire 8 Field Hockey Tournament Recap
First Round
No. 3 Nazareth defeated No. 6 SUNY Brockport, 5-0 – BOX SCORE
No. 4 St. John Fisher defeated No. 5 Houghton, 5-2 – BOX SCORE
Semifinals
No. 1 SUNY Geneseo defeated No. 4 St. John Fisher, 6-0 – BOX SCORE
No. 3 Nazareth defeated No. 2 Hartwick, 3-2 (OT) – BOX SCORE
Championship
No. 1 SUNY Geneseo defeated No. 3 Nazareth, 5-1 -– BOX SCORE
2025 Empire 8 Field Hockey Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player
Sara O'Donnell Jr., M, SUNY Geneseo
Empire 8 Field Hockey Returning All-Americans, All-Region & Empire 8 Major Award Winners
- Hope Angioletti, Hartwick, Sr., F, Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay - 2025 NFHCA First Team All-Region
- Campbell Bowers, Houghton, Sr., D, Worthington, OH/Thomas Worthington - 2025 NFHCA Second Team All-Region
- Michaela Cushman, Jr., F/M, Holland Patent, NY/Holland Patent - 2025 NFHCA Second Team All-Region, 2024 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year
- Ella Grieco, Geneseo, Sr., F, New Hartford, NY/New Hartford - 2025 Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year, 2025 NFHCA First Team All-American, 2025 NFHCA First Team All-Region, 2024 NFHCA First Team All-Region
- Danielle Hand, Hartwick, Sr., F, Queensbury, NY/Queensbury - 2023 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year
- Katelyn Klotz, Hartwick, Sr., D, South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls - 2025 Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year, 2025 NFHCA First Team All-Region
- Mary Kate McPhee, St. John Fisher, Sr., M, Salem, NY/Salem - 2025 NFHCA Second Team All-Region
- Sara O’Donnell, Geneseo, Sr., M, Lancaster, NY/Lancaster - 2025 NFHCA Second Team All-Region
- Ava Reynolds, Hartwick, So., GK, South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls - 2025 Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year, 2025 NFHCA Second Team All-Region
- Halle Senfield, Geneseo, So., F/M, Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park - 2025 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year