Men's Cross Country | 9/2/2026 11:00:00 AM
SUNY Geneseo will look for its third straight Empire 8 Championship, as the 2026 season gets underway on Sep. 4. The Empire 8 Championship will take place at the SUNY Poly Country Course, hosted by SUNY Poly on Saturday, Oct. 31 at 12 p.m.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the
Empire 8 Network.
2026 Empire 8 Men's Cross Country Players to Watch
Alfred University - Head Coach Matt Phillips
Seth Stevens, So., Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro - Stevens was the second Saxon to cross the finish line at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. He finished 33rd overall with a time of 28:16.4. He was Alfred's first finisher at the 2025 Niagara Regional Championships finishing 86th overall.
Jake Taylor, Sr., Cohocton, NY/Avoca - Taylor, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, placed 55th overall at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships with a time of 29:29.6. At the 2025 Niagara Regional Championship, he finished 97th overall.
SUNY Brockport - Head Coach John Davis
Tim Smith, So, Vestal, NY/Vestal - Smith, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, is expected to be a top-finisher for the 2026 Golden Eagles after a very successful Indoor and Outdoor Track season in 2025-26, while he earned All-American honors in the 800-meters.
Howie Vargas, Sr, Delmar, NY/Bethlehem - Vargas finished 64th at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships with a time of 29:48.8. He competed at the 2025 Niagara Regional Championships where he finished 58th overall, improving his 8,000-meter time by over two minutes.
SUNY Geneseo - Head Coach Dan Moore
Emerson Comer, Sr., South Kortright, NY/South Korright - Comer was the second place finisher at the 2025 Niagara Regional Championships, finishing in 24:51.4 over 8.000-meters. He finished 15th overall at the 2025 NCAA Division III Championship with a time of 24:14.3. His finishes earned him both All-Region and All-American accolades.
Pierce Young, Sr., Arkport, NY/Arkport - Young, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, placed seventh third overall at the 2025 Niagara Regional Championships with a time of 24:51.6. At the 2025 NCAA Division III Championship, he placed 29th overall with a time of 24:33.3. Young earned both All-Region and All-American nods for both finishes.
Hartwick College - Head Coach Nathan Crews
Hans Higgins, Sr., Buffalo, NY/Amherst - Higgins placed 81st at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. He was the second Hawk to cross the finish line. He was also a participant in the 2025 Niagara Regional Championships where he finished with a time of 30:33.3.
Basil Metz, So., Highland, NY/Highland - Metz had a great rookie season with the Hawks. He recorded a personal best at the 2025 Niagara Regional Championships finishing with a time of 30:29.5.
Houghton University - Head Coach Kari Elliot
Luke Ellis, Sr., Keizer, OR/Western Mennonite - Ellis, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, placed 19th overall at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. His finish earned him third team All-Conference accolades. He competed at the 2026 Niagara Regional Championships and finished 50th overall.
Henry Sardina, Jr., Fillmore, NY/Fillmore - Sardinia was the 28th finisher overall at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. He was the fourth to cross the finish line for the Highlanders. He went on to compete at the 2025 Niagara Regional Championships where he finished 69th overall.
Keuka College - Head Coach Ryan Johnson
Jacob Coluci, Sr., West Valley, NY/West Valley - Coluci is expected to emerge as a leader for the Wolves in 2026. He competed at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships.
Alston Hernandez, So., Clyde, NY/North Rose - Hernandez was the top finisher for the Wolves at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. In his first conference race, he finished 85th overall.
Nazareth University - Head Coach Mike Heymann
Kaeden Leonidas, So., Castleton-on-Hudson, NY/Maple Hill - Leonidas raced in six meets in his debut season with the Golden Flyers. He finished 32nd at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. He finished 57th at the 2025 Niagara Regional Championships.
Rylan Powell, So., Canton, NY/Hugh C. Williams - Powell competed in seven meets in his rookie season for the Golden Flyers. He finished 37th overall at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. He also raced in the 2025 Niagara Regional Championships where he finished 69th overall.
SUNY Poly - Head Coach Jerry Tine
Bryan Doyle, So., Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro - Doyle placed 100th at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships and is expected to be a top-finisher for the Wildcats in 2026.
Jack McCarthy, Sr., Cornwall, NY/Cornwall - McCarthy, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, finished 102nd at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. He will continue to be an exciting watch in 2026.
Russell Sage College - Head Coach Rich Marcello
Christopher Whalen, So., Arlington, VT/Arlington - Whalen had a great rookie season with the Gators. He was the first finisher for the team at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. He finished 52nd overall with a time of 29:24.9. He went on to compete at the 2025 Mideast Regional Championships.
St. John Fisher University - Head Coach Trisha Byler
Connor Stanton, Jr., Waterville, NY/Waterville - Stanton ran a personal best 6,000-meter time of 21:53.2 in the Fisher-Rodenbeck Invite last season. He recorded a personal best 8,000-meter time of 27:29.3 in the Empire 8 Championships as a rookie in 2024.
Landon Wertz, Jr., Marion, NY/Marion - Wertz recorded his top career 8,000-meter time last season, finishing the Houghton Course in 27:28.8. He placed 40th overall at the 2025 Empire 8 Championship.
Utica University - Head Coach Sam Catterson
Killian Bauer, So., Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill - Bauer had a fantastic debut season with the Pioneers in 2025. He was the 23rd overall finisher at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships, earning him a third team All-Conference nod. He competed at the 2025 Niagara Regional Championships and finished 65th overall.
Bennett Melita, Sr., Johnstown, NY/Fonda Fultonville - Melita, a four-time E8 Runner to Watch, was the 2023 and 2025 E8 Cross Country Champion, the 2023 Co-Runner of the Year and Rookie of the Year. He was the fifth place finisher at the 2025 Niagara Regional Championships, and qualified for the 2025 NCAA Championship where he finished 194th overall.
Final 2025 Empire 8 Men's Cross Country Results
SUNY Geneseo - 24 points - League Champions
Utica - 72 points
Houghton - 82 points
SUNY Brockport - 102 points
Nazareth - 114 points
St. John Fisher - 174 points
Alfred - 184 points
Hartwick - 266 points
SUNY Poly - 300 points
Russell Sage - 303 points
Keuka - 312 points
2025 Empire 8 Men's Cross Country Top-10 Finishers
Bennett Melita - Utica - Individual Winner/Most Outstanding Runner
James Tette - SUNY Geneseo
Amos Bixler - Houghton
Thomas Blake - SUNY Geneseo
Connor Hitt - SUNY Geneseo
Anson Butler - SUNY Geneseo
Kole Owens - SUNY Geneseo
Jace Stuart - St. John Fisher
Owen Willard - SUNY Geneseo
Ben Allen - Houghton
2026 Empire 8 Men's Cross Country Returning All-Americans, All-Region & Major Award Winners
- Ethan Becker, SUNY Geneseo, Jr., Central Square, NY/Mexico - 2024 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year
- Thomas Blake, SUNY Geneseo, Jr., Orchard Park, NY - 2025 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region
- Collin Brown, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., Rochester, NY/McQuaid - 2025 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region
- Connor Hitt, SUNY Geneseo, Jr., Poughkeepsie, NY/Roy C. Ketcham - 2025 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region
- Emerson Comer, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., South Kortright, NY/South Kortright - 2025 USTFCCCA All-American, 2025 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region, 2024 NCAA Championship participant, 2024 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region
- Bennett Melita, Utica, Sr., Johnstown, NY/Fonda Fultonville - 2025 Empire 8 Individual Champion, 2025 Empire 8 Most Outstanding Runner, 2025 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region, 2025 NCAA Championship Participant, 2024 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region, 2024 NCAA Championship participant, 2023 Empire 8 Co-Runner of the Year, 2023 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year
- James Tette, SUNY Geneseo, Jr., Penn Yan, NY/Penn Yan - 2025 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region
- Mario Verruto, SUNY Geneseo, So., Gardiner, NY/Wallkill - 2025 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year
- Pierce Young, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., Arkport, NY/Arkport - 2025 USTFCCCA All-American, 2025 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region, 2024 USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region, 2024 NCAA Championship participant