The 2024-25 Empire 8 men’s track and field season is set to be an exciting one, with Nazareth University aiming for a third consecutive indoor title and Utica University looking to defend their outdoor championship. Adding to the competitive landscape, SUNY Brockport and SUNY Geneseo join the league, making their Empire 8 debuts this season.
The Empire 8 Indoor Championship will be hosted at Utica University’s Todd and Jen Hutton Sports and Recreation Center on February 28th and March 1st, 2025. Later in the spring, the Empire 8 Outdoor Track and Field Championships will take place at SUNY Brockport’s Bob Boozer Field on May 2nd and 3rd, 2025.
Here are athletes to watch from each institution as the season unfolds:
Alfred University
Jason Crocker
Senior, Throws, Oreland, PA/Springfield Township
Crocker is a strong contender in throwing events. He secured victory in the discus at the 2024 Empire 8 Outdoor Championship with a 43.36-meter throw. Consistently performing well in shot put, he placed fourth at both the 2023 and 2024 Empire 8 Indoor Championships. He will also be a competitor in hammer throw events.
Khamani Hunter
Sophomore, Sprints, Poughkeepsie, NY/FDR
Hunter, transferring from Trinity College, brings impressive sprint times to Alfred. He has recorded top times of 11.14 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 22.80 seconds in the 200-meters, suggesting he will be a valuable addition to the team’s sprint events.
SUNY Brockport
Ayden Grinion
Junior, Sprints/Hurdles, Rochester, NY/Gates-Chili
Grinion arrives at SUNY Brockport as a decorated athlete. He is a two-time SUNYAC Champion from last spring, claiming titles in the 400-meter hurdles and the 4 x 400-meter relay. His relay team achieved national recognition, finishing ninth at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Jonathan Zavala
Graduate, Middle Distance, Montgomery, NY/Valley Central
Zavala is an All-American athlete, having earned honors in the mile at the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships with a third-place finish. He also placed ninth in the 1,500-meters at outdoor nationals last spring and is a three-time SUNYAC Champion across the 1,500-meters, mile, and 800-meters.
Hartwick College
Cody Bazemore
Freshman, Sprints/Jumps, Bel Air, MD/Bel Air
Bazemore, a freshman, has already made an impact early in the season. He recorded a 6.73-meter leap in the season-opening meet at Houghton, currently ranking third best in the Empire 8 this season, showcasing his potential in jump events.
Quaran Best
Junior, Sprints, Bronx, NY/Bronx Prep Charter
Best was a consistent performer in sprint events for the Empire 8 last season. He aims to achieve All-E8 honors in the 2025 season, building upon his previous performances and experience.
SUNY Geneseo
Ryan Hagan
Sophomore, Distance, Liverpool, NY/Liverpool
Hagan, named the 2024 SUNYAC Indoor Track and Field Rookie of the Year, is a rising distance runner. He won the mile run at the 2024 All-Atlantic Region Championships with a personal best time of 4:10.25 and finished 12th at the NCAA Championships in the same event. He is also the 2024 Empire 8 Men’s Cross Country Champion.
Ray Trottier
Sophomore, Throws, Rochester, NY/Webster Thomas
Trottier is expected to be a top competitor in shot put. He achieved a personal best toss of 14.12 meters last season, indicating his potential to challenge for top positions in throwing events this season.
Houghton University
Avery Belanger
Sophomore, Jumps, Burnt Hills, NY/Ballston Spa
Belanger is the reigning Empire 8 Champion in the triple jump from the 2024 Indoor Championship. He also demonstrated versatility by placing third in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2024 Outdoor Championships.
Amos Bixler
Junior, Middle Distance, Dalton, OH/Central Christian
Bixler is a defending champion in multiple events. He holds the Empire 8 titles in the indoor 800-meters and outdoor 1,500-meters. He earned All-E8 second team honors in the indoor mile last season and has contributed to relay teams that have received all-league recognition.
Nazareth University
Cade Eells
Senior, Distance, Ithaca, NY/Ithaca
Eells is a decorated distance runner in the Empire 8. He was named the 2024 Empire 8 Outdoor Track Athlete of the Championship Meet and the 2023 Indoor Track Athlete of the Meet. He is a three-time defending E8 Champion in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and a two-time defending indoor champion in the mile.
Jack Pomykaj
Junior, Multi-Events, Castleton, NY/Maple Hill
Pomykaj excels in multi-events. He was the 2024 Empire 8 Outdoor Field Athlete of the Championship meet and the 2024 E8 Indoor Track and Field Champion in the pentathlon. He is also a two-time Empire 8 Champion in the decathlon and will be a strong contender in pole vault and long jump.
Russell Sage College
David Adadjo
Senior, Sprints/Jumps, Nassau, NY/Columbia
Adadjo is a versatile athlete for Russell Sage. He finished second in the 400-meters at the 2024 Empire 8 Outdoor Championships and has previously placed 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 expected to compete in all three events in the upcoming season.
Dominic Harkness
Junior, Sprints, Morrisonville, NY/Saranac
Harkness is a key sprinter for Russell Sage, particularly in the 400-meter dash. He contributed to Russell Sage’s third-place finish in the 4 x 400-meter relay at the 2024 E8 Outdoor Championships.
St. John Fisher University
Sean Cochrane
Graduate, High Jump, Avon, NY/Avon
Cochrane achieved his first Empire 8 Championship in the long jump at the indoor meet last season and earned honorable mention All-American honors with a 14th-place finish at the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships. He started the 2024-25 indoor season with a 2.02-meter leap, ranking among the best in Division III.
Brandon Kaplan
Junior, Throws, Grahamsville, NY/Tri-Valley Central
Kaplan is a strong thrower, winning the hammer throw at the 2024 Empire 8 Outdoor Championships with a personal best of 55.82 meters (183’2”). He aims for All-Region and national recognition in the 2025 season.
Utica University
Andy Hadasz
Senior, Sprints, Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro
Hadasz is a dominant sprinter in the Empire 8, with 10 Empire 8 Championships over the past two seasons. He was the 2023 E8 Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship Track Athlete of the Meet. Entering 2025, he is the two-time defending E8 champion in both the indoor and outdoor 200-meter dash.
Hunter Logan
Graduate, Throws, Fort Plain, NY/Fort Plain
Logan is a three-time All-American in shot put (2022 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor; 2024 Outdoor) and a national championship contender. He is also a three-time defending E8 Champion in both indoor and outdoor shot put events with a career-best mark of 17.25 meters (56’7.25”).
2023-24 Empire 8 Championship Results
Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championship
- Nazareth – 186.2 Points – League Champions
- Utica – 160.4
- St. John Fisher – 92.2
- Houghton – 69
- Alfred – 16
- Hartwick – 2.2
- Russell Sage – 1
Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship
- Utica – 213 Points – League Champions
- Nazareth – 202
- St. John Fisher – 121
- Houghton – 49
- Alfred – 46
- Russell Sage – 45
- Hartwick – 5
About the Empire 8 Conference
The Empire 8 Conference is committed to academic and athletic excellence within NCAA Division III. The conference is known for its high-quality institutions, competitive spirit, and dedication to student-athletes’ educational needs. For more information, visit www.empire8.com and their YouTube channel.
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