The team with the highest wining percentage in conference play will be named the Empire 8 Champion and will earn the conference's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament. In the event of a tie, all tied teams will be named co or tri- champions. The following criteria will be used to determine the E8's NCAA automatic qualifier: (in the instance of a three or more way tie, once one team is eliminated by a tie-breaker, the remaining teams will begin the tie-breaker process anew starting with the first criteria):
1. Head-to-Head results.
2. Results vs. lowest ranked conference teams (6th, 5th, etc) based on final season standings.
3. Results versus common non-league opponents (All teams must have played the same opponent).
4. Fewest overall losses (Minimum of 9 games).
5. The team’s overall strength of schedule (as determined by the NCAA Overall OWP, opponents’ winning percentage; not OOWP, the opponents’ opponents’ winning percentage).