Rochester, NY--The Empire 8 will crown a new champion for 2023, as the season gets underway on Sept. 1 and league play begins on Sept. 16. The top six teams will advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place with first round action on Saturday, Oct. 28, semifinal round games on Wednesday, Nov. 1 and the championship three days later on Saturday, Nov. 4. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship. Just 11 points separated all Empire 8 teams in 2022.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the Empire 8 Network.
Tim Brown, St. John Fisher, Gr., D, Rochester, NY/McQuaid Jesuit – Brown earned All-Empire 8 first team honors in 2022, helping the Cardinals record six clean sheets and just 15 goals allowed.
Chase Freeland, Alfred, Sr., M/F, Hornell, NY/Hornell – Freeland earned All-Empire 8 third team honors in 2022 after recording seven goals and 16 points.
El Hajdi Iba Sy, Russell Sage, Sr., F, Bronx, NY/Emma Lazarus – Iba Sy, an All-Empire 8 third team pick in 2022, led the Gators with six goals last season and will be expected to play a key role offensively in 2023.
Andy Loomis, Houghton, Sr., F, Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South – Loomis, an All-Empire 8 first team selection in 2021, has led Houghton in scoring in each of the last two seasons, with 12 goals, 12 assists and 36 points over that span.
Jim Mahony, Hartwick, Sr., M, Bournemouth, England/Bournemouth Collegiate – Mahony, an Empire 8 Player to Watch in 2021, was an All-E8 third team selection that season. He tallied six goals and 14 points for the Hawks in 2022.
Lutho Mlunguza, Elmira, Gr., F, Cape Vincent, South Africa/Wynberg – Mlunguza, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, earned All-Empire 8 second team honors in 2021 and third team accolades in 2022. He has 15 goals and 35 points over the last two seasons.
Byamungu Mugushu, Utica, Sr., F, Syracuse, NY/Bishop Grimes – An E8 Player of the Watch for the second straight season, Mugushu earned All-Empire 8 first team accolades in 2022 after tallying 27 points on 11 goals and five assists to go along with three game-winning tallies.
Jake Pawlika, Nazareth, Jr., M, Oneida, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill – Pawlika, a two-time All-Empire 8 selection (first team 2021; second team 2022), has 20 goals, 12 assists and 52 points in his first two seasons with the Golden Flyers.
Carson Smith, Keuka, So., GK, Horseheads, NY/Horseheads – Smith, the 2022 Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year, led all league goalkeepers with 5.54 saves per game and was second with an .809 save percentage.
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher, the 2022 Empire 8 regular season champions, return 24 players and seven starters for the 2023 season. The Cardinals have tremendous depth returning, as six former All-Conference selections return, including 2022 All-E8 first team selection, defender Tim Brown, Trevor Heschke, Matt Gentile, Jackson Bishop, and Riley Rease, the 2021 Rookie of the Year in addition to Jacob McGinnis. While the Cardinals will look to replace former E8 Player of the Year and four-time all-conference selection Justin Bonetto, head coach Jack Burgasser has brought in a talented group of newcomers, including transfers Adam Grover and Andrew Vannest, who both played at Division I Canisius College and goalkeeper Christian Burkhart.
Russell Sage
The Gators of Russell Sage will look to win their first Empire 8 Championship in 2023. The Gators have finished in the top half of the league standings in three of the last four seasons. Senior El Hajdi Iba Sy, an All-Empire 8 third team selection in 2023, will be counted on to lead the offensive unit after scoring a team-high six goals in 2022. The Gators will miss the leadership and strong play of Christian Vaalstuen, a four-time All-Empire 8 selection. Senior midfielder Ian Maguire, junior defender Mason Kievit and graduate student John Locicero will be counted on to play an increased role in 2023. The Gators have 18 players returning and bring in a strong group of newcomers, including graduate transfer Jimmy Alexander, who was a standout at SUNY Plattsburgh.
Utica
The Pioneers return 17 players and nine starters from last season's team that advanced to the Empire 8 Championship match for the first time in program history. All-Empire 8 first team selections Byamungu Mugushu and Cody Baker-Green return as the top Empire 8 scoring duo from last season. Baker-Green was third in the league in scoring last season with 13 goals and 31 points, while Mugushu was right behind with 11 goals and 27 points. Noah Scranton, an All-Empire 8 third team pick in 2022, will lead the defensive unit, while goalkeeper Foti Xidias returns for his third season as a starter. An All-Empire 8 third team pick in 2021, Xidias had 14 wins and eight shutouts over his last two years.
Nazareth
Nazareth will look for its third Empire 8 Championship in the last five seasons in 2023. Nazareth, who advanced to the E8 Tourney for the sixth straight season in 2022, returns seven starters and 25 players, including former All-Empire 8 first team selections Drew Decker, Cooper LaValley, Jake Pawlika and goalkeeper Logan Menna. Pawlika, who also earned All-E8 second team accolades in 2022, has 20 goals and 52 points over his first two seasons, while Decker has seven goals and 20 assists and Menna has 18 wins and nine shutouts in two seasons. all were freshmen in 2021. The Golden Flyers will look to replace 2022 All-Region and Academic All-American selection Cuneyt Vardar, who tallied 15 goals and 34 points.
Hartwick
The Hawks made their first Empire 8 postseason berth in 2022, earning a win on the final day of the regular season to claim the final playoff spot. Hartwick would then earn its first postseason win, going on the road in the opening round to claim a 1-0 win at Russell Sage before falling to eventual champion Medaille in the semifinals. Hartwick returns 16 players, including seven starters from last season's squad, including senior Jim Mahony, an All-E8 third team pick in 2021, who tallied six goals and 14 points last season. Sophomore midfielder Kwame Amissah-Arthur, the 2022 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, along with classmate Will Napierala and senior Rodrigo Fernandez will also be counted on to lead the way. Hartwick played as a Division I program until 2017, having won the 1977 NCAA Championship.
Houghton
Houghton was in contention for a 2022 E8 postseason berth until the final day of the regular season and have a strong contingent of players returning who played on the team which advanced to the Empire 8 Championship game in 2021. Andy Loomis, an All-E8 first team pick in 2021, has led Houghton in scoring in each of the last two seasons, with 12 goals, 12 assists and 36 points over that span. Senior defender Oscar Palacios, an All-E8 second team pick in 2021 also returns to shore up the defensive unit. Junior Alex Kalivoda has chipped in with three goals and three assists in each of his first two seasons with the Highlanders and will play a key role in 2023 along with classmate Caleb Bailey, who recorded six points in 2022. Overall, 18 players and seven starters return in 2023.
Elmira
The Soaring Eagles return 21 players and seven starters from last season's team that was in contention for an Empire 8 postseason berth until the final minutes of the regular season. Graduate midfielder Lutho Mlunguza, an All-Empire 8 second team selection in 2021 and third team pick in 2022, will be counted to lead the way offensively for the Soaring Eagles. He has 15 goals and 35 points over the last two seasons. Third year head coach Lamine Balde returns a strong trio of sophomores in Kerfalla Toure, Martin Harguindey and Alessandro Lancia. Toure, a defender, earned All-Empire 8 first team accolades last season, while Harguindey tied for the team lead in both goals (7) and points (17).
Alfred
Alfred will look to get back into the Empire 8 Tournament in 2023 after a having a three-year run snapped in 2022. The Saxons return 19 players from last season's team which handed E8 regular season champion St. John Fisher its only loss in league play. Senior midfielder/forward Chase Freeman, an All-Empire 8 third team selection, is back after tallying seven goals and 16 points. Juniors Noam Sokolovsky, William Moore and AJ Giaquinto will also be counted on to play an even greater role for the Saxons in 2023.
Keuka
Keuka will look for its first postseason berth in its third season as an Empire 8 member. The Wolves 16 players and 10 starters from last season's team that was in contention for a postseason berth until the final day of the regular season. Sophomore goalkeeper Carson Smith, the 2022 Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year, led all league goalkeepers with 5.54 saves per game and was second with an .809 save percentage. Owen Thorpe returns after leading Keuka in scoring with five goals and 11 points, while Connor Thorpe had a team-high three assists.
Final 2022 Empire 8 Men's Soccer Standings
St. John Fisher (7-5-4, 6-2-1 E8, 19 points)
Medaille (12-2-6, 5-1-3 E8, 18 points) – League Champions
Russell Sage (8-8-2, 5-4-0 E8, 15 points)
Utica (8-9-2, 4-4-1 E8, 13 points)
Nazareth (7-5-5, 2-2-5 E8, 11 points)
Hartwick (6-9-3, 3-4-2 E8, 11 points)
Houghton (5-11-2, 3-4-2 E8, 11 points)
Elmira (9-6-3, 3-5-1 E8, 10 points)
Alfred (4-8-4, 2-4-3 E8, 9 points)
Keuka (3-10-2, 2-5-2 E8, 8 points)
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit www.empire8.com and YouTube
