St. John Fisher College will look to earn its fourth straight Empire 8 Championship, as the 2022-23 men's indoor track and field season ramps up this month. The Empire 8 Championship will take place at Nazareth College on Friday, Feb. 24 and Saturday, Feb. 25. Below are two athletes to watch from each institution.
George Mecca, Alfred, Sr., Middle Distance, Derby, NY/Eden – Mecca was the 2022 Empire 8 Indoor Champion in the 800-meters. He also earned All-Empire 8 second team honors in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2021 Outdoor Championships.
Neil Peters, Alfred, Sr., Sprints/Jumps, Bronx, NY/DeWitt Clinton – Peters is a standout in the sprint events for the Saxons and will compete for a league title in the 60-meter dash. He finished third in the 100-meter dash at the 2022 E8 Outdoor Championships.
Joe Catalano, Hartwick, Jr., Sprints, Chester, NY/Chester Academy – Catalano excelled for the Hawks in the 200- and 400-meter events last season and will contend for All-Empire 8 honors in both during the 2023 season.
Aidan Freda, Hartwick, So., Distance, Westtown, NY/Minisink Valley – Freda earned sixth place honors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2022 Empire 8 Outdoor Championships. He will lead Hartwick in distance events in 2023.
Caleb Kasper, Houghton, Jr., Distance, Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park – Kasper expected to lead Houghton's distance runners in 2023. He earned top-10 finishes in both long distance events at the 2022 E8 Outdoor Championships and broke out in a big way at the 2022 E8 Cross Country Championships, finishing fourth overall to earn All-E8 first team accolades.
Malachi Yeager, Houghton, Gr., Throws/Jumps, Tennyson, IN/Heritage Hills – Yeager is a dual standout in both the throwing and jumping events. Yeager also placed third in the javelin throw and fourth in the discus at the 2022 Empire 8 Outdoor Championships. He was also fourth in the high jump and sixth in the long jump at the 2020 E8 Championships and sixth in the long jump in 2021.
Nathan Bowers, Nazareth, Sr., Distance, Endicott, NY/Owego Free Academy – Bowers was the 2022 Empire 8 Cross Country Runner of the Year and 2022 Empire 8 Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year. He won both the 2021 and 2022 E8 Indoor 5,000-meter run championships and was the 2022 E8 Outdoor 5,000- and 10,000-meter run champ.
Kaleb Luton, Nazareth, Sr., Hurdles/Jumps, Amherst, NY/Sweet Home – Luton is the defending E8 Indoor Champion in the 60-meter hurdles and competed at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Championships in that event. He was also the 2021-22 E8 Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. Luton will also be a strong contender in both the long and triple jump events this season.
David Adadjo, Russell Sage, So., Sprints/Jumps, Nassau, NY/Columbia – Adadjo finished third in the 400-meters, fourth in the triple jump and fifth in the 200-meters at the 2022 Empire 8 Indoor Championships. He is poised to enjoy a breakout season in 2023.
John Coddington, Russell Sage, Sr., Throws, Amsterdam, NY/Broadalbin-Perth – Coddington was named both the Empire 8 Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Rookie of the Year last season. He earned All-Empire 8 second team honors in both the shot put and weight throw at the 2022 E8 Indoor Championships and won the hammer throw at the Outdoor Championships.
Ethan Billings, St. John Fisher, Jr., Distance, Wantage, NJ/High Point Regional – Billings won the individual title at the 2022 Empire 8 Cross Country Championships and was the league champion in the 5,000-meters at the 2022 E8 Indoor Track Championships. He will contend for league titles in all long distance events.
Matt Stasiw, St. John Fisher, Jr., Jumps, Horseheads, NY/Horseheads – Stasiw was the runner-up in the long jump at both the 2021 and 2022 Empire 8 Indoor Championships and will also be a strong contender in the triple jump. He has already cleared 23 feet this season and has the sixth best long jump in Division III to date.
Hunter Logan, Utica, Jr., Throws, Fort Plain, NY/Fort Plain – Logan earned All-American honors in the shot put at both the 2022 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships and will be a strong contender for a national championship this season. He is also the defending E8 Champion in the shot put.
Zuriel Wright, Utica, Jr., Jumps, Parlin, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial – Wright was the 2020 Empire 8 Men's Indoor Track and Field Rookie of the Year. He was the runner-up in the long jump in 2020 and runner-up in the triple jump in 2022. In addition, Wright currently has the second best performance in the high jump (2.05 meters) in Division III this season.
Final 2021-22 Empire 8 Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship Results
St. John Fisher – 157 Points – League Champions
Nazareth – 139
Utica – 108
Houghton – 41
Russell Sage – 29
Alfred – 21
Hartwick – 1