Women's Cross Country | 9/1/2026 10:59:44 AM
SUNY Geneseo will look for their third straight Empire 8 Championship, as the 2026 season gets underway on Sept. 4. The Empire 8 Championship will take place at the SUNY Poly Cross Country Course, hosted by SUNY Poly on Saturday, Oct. 31 at 11 a.m.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge, when broadcast on the
Empire 8 Network.
2026 Empire 8 Women's Cross Country Players to Watch
Alfred University - Head Coach Matt Phillips
Vladyslava Makarenko, So., Berdychiy, Ukraine/Lyceum 23 - Makarenko was the first Saxons to cross the finish line at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. She finished 53rd overall with a time of 26:41.1. She went on to compete at the 2025 Niagara Region Championships where she finished 117th overall.
Sydney Ribble, So., Addison, NY/Addison - Ribble was the second Saxon to cross the finish line at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. She finished 68th overall with a time of 27:03.1. She competed at the 2025 Niagara Region Championships where she finished 136th.
SUNY Brockport - Head Coach John Davis
Ethne Degan, Jr, Bainbridge, NY/Bainbridge Guildford - Degan, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, finished 11th overall at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. Her finish earned her second team All-Conference honors. At the 2025 Niagara Region Championship, she finished 28th overall and earned All-Region accolades.
Salma Moumen, So, Canton, NY/Canton - Moumen had an impressive debut season for the Golden Eagles. She was the first to cross the finish line for Brockport at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. She finished eighth overall, solidifying a first team All-Conference nod. At the 2025 Niagara Regional Championships, she finished 27th overall, earning All-Region honors.
SUNY Geneseo - Head Coach Dan Moore
Kaitlyn Hotaling, So., Liverpool, NY/Liverpool - Hotaling, the 2025 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, had a fantastic rookie season for the Knights. She finished 19th overall at the 2025 Niagara Region Championships, earning her USTFCCCA All-Region honors.
Ari Reback, Jr., Fairport, NY/Fairport - Reback, the 2024 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, is expected to be a top finisher for the Knights this season. She was the second place finisher at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships, earning her first team All-Conference honors. She competed at the 2025 Niagara Region Championships where she finished 12th overall. Her finish earned her All-Region accolades.
Hartwick College - Head Coach Nathan Crews
Amelia Steitz, So., Fairport, NY/Fairport - Steitz set several personal bests in her rookie season. She set a 4,000-meter personal record, finishing at 19:05.7 and a 5,000-meter personal mark, finishing at 22:45.1. She finished 73rd at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships and went on to compete at the 2025 Niagara Region Championships where she set her third personal best time, this time in the 6,000-meters with a time of 27:13.7.
Julia Weinschreider, Jr., Williamson, NY/Williamson - Weinschreider, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, was the second Hawk finisher at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. She placed 56th with a time of 26:16.9. She set three personal best records in the 4,000-, 5,000- and 6,000-meter races. She competed at the 2025 Niagara Region Championships where she finished with a time of 26:12.0.
Houghton University - Head Coach Kari Elliot
Jenna Binney, So., Lewisburg, PA/Homeschool - Binney had a great first season with the Highlanders. She finished 23rd at the Empire 8 Championships, earning a third team All-Conference nod. She competed at the 2025 Niagara Region Championships and placed 79th.
Emberlynn Nolt, Jr., Dalton, OH/Dalton - Nolt, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, finished 18th overall at the Empire 8 Championships in 2025. Her finish earned her a second team All-Conference spot. She went on to compete at the 2025 Niagara Region Championships and placed 42nd.
Keuka College - Head Coach Ryan Johnson
Christiana Curtis, Jr., Renssleaer, NY/Rensselaer - Curtis, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, is expected to be leader again in the 2026 season. She competed at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships where she finished 96th overall finishing with a time of 32:20.1.
Victoria Hirner, So., Buffalo, NY/John F. Kennedy - In her debut season, Hirner was the first runner to cross the finish line for the Wolves at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. She finished 90th overall with a time of 29:49.8
Nazareth University - Head Coach Mike Heymann
Meghan Moyer, Sr., Liverpool, NY/Liverpool - Moyer, the 2023 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, finished 19th overall at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships with a time of 23:48.2. That earned her third team All-Conference accolades.. She raced in six meets, including the Niagara Region Championships.
Bailey Visingard, Sr., Victor, NY/Victor - Visingard finished 21st at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. Her finish and time of 24:00.6 earned her third team All-Conference accolades. She went on to compete at the 2025 Niagara Region Championships. She registered 4K, 5K and 6K personal bests on the season.
SUNY Poly - Head Coach Jerry Tine
Ava Stoby, So., Chester, NY/Chester Academy - Stoby had a great rookie season for the Wildcats. She recorded her best time at the Hamilton Tune-up Invitational where she finished her 4K race with a time of 21:31.5. She will be an exciting watch in 2026.
Russell Sage College - Head Coach Rich Marcello
Sydney Elmendorf, So., Walton, NY/Franklin - In her five meets ran as a Gator in 2025, Elmendorf completed a 4K at Hamilton in 19:28.5, a 5K at ACPHS in 24:40.7 and a 6K at the Empire 8 Championships finishing a 30:26.4.
St. John Fisher University - Head Coach Trisha Byler
Maggie Bacon, Sr., Dansville, NY/Dansville - In 2025, Bacon bested her personal records in the 4,000 and the 6,000 meters. She ran a 15.43.6 at the Hamilton Short Course Invite and a 23:23.8 at the Houghton Highlander Invite.
Brianne Hurlburt, Jr., Dansville, NY,/Dansville - Hurlburt set a pair of personal records in 2025. She set a 4,000-meter record with a time of 16:24.5 in the Fisher-Rodenbeck Invite. Later in the season, she ran a 24:27.2 at Houghton for her career best in the 6,000-meters.
Utica University - Head Coach Sam Catterson
Catherine Manna, Jr., Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro - Manna, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, placed 18th overall at the 2025 Empire 8 Championship. She earned second team All-Conference honors for her finish. At the Niagara Region Championship she placed 49th.
Marlo Townsend, Sr., Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy - Townsend, another two-time E8 Player to Watch, placed fifth overall at the 2025 Empire 8 Championship. She earned first team All-Conference honors. At the Niagara Regional Championship she placed 30th, where she earned All-Region accolades.
Final 2025 Empire 8 Women's Cross Country Results
SUNY Geneseo - 22 points - League Champions
Houghton - 69 points
SUNY Brockport - 83 points
Nazareth - 94 points
Utica - 137 points
St. John Fisher - 143 points
Hartwick - 214 points
Alfred - 224 points
Keuka - 294 points
SUNY Poly - No Team Score
Russell Sage - No Team Score
2025 Empire 8 Women's Cross Country Top-10 Finishers
Ann Brennan - SUNY Geneseo - Individual Winner/Most Outstanding Runner
Ari Reback - SUNY Geneseo
Sierra Doody - SUNY Geneseo
Noelle Linenfelser - Houghton
Marlo Townsend - Utica
Ella Impaglia - Nazareth
Annika Hurley - SUNY Geneseo
Salma Moumen - SUNY Brockport
Jillian O’Rourke - SUNY Geneseo
Katie Bauman - SUNY Geneseo
2026 Empire 8 Women's Cross Country Returning All-Americans, All-Region & Major Award Winners
- Ethne Degan, Brockport, Jr., Bainbridge, NY/Bainbridge Guildford - 2025 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region
Kaitlyn Hotaling, Geneseo, So., Liverpool, NY/Liverpool - 2025 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, 2025 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region
- Annika Hurley, Geneseo, Sr., Glastonbury, CT/Glastonbury - 2025 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region
Alexa Kosier, Geneseo, So., Schenectady, NY/Guilderland - 2025 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region
- Emberlynn Nolt, Houghton, Jr., Dalton, OH/Dalton - 2025 Empire 8 Torchbearer Winner
- Catherine Manna, Utica, Jr., Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro - 2024 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region
- Salma Moumen, Brockport, So., Canton, NY/Canton - 2025 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region
- Meghan Moyer, Nazareth, Sr., Liverpool, NY/Liverpool - 2023 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year
- Jillian O'Rourke, Geneseo, Sr., Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park - 2025 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region, 2024 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region, 2024 NCAA Championship participant
- Ari Reback, Geneseo, So., Fairport, NY/Fairport - 2025 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region, 2024 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year
- Marlo Townsend, Utica, Jr., Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy - 2025 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region, 2024 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region