This weekend Stevens is hosting the Empire 8 Championships in both women’s soccer and women’s volleyball. In addition, the majority of the fall sports teams are competing in or have competed in the Empire 8 Championships this year. To make it to the Empire 8 Athletic Conference, a team must finish the season in the top four spots in the league. To host the tournament, the team must finish as the top seed.
Most Stevens sports teams are members of the Empire 8 Athletic Conference, which is akin to Rutgers being part of the Big 10. The Empire 8 consists of eight other schools (including Stevens): Ithaca College, Nazareth College, St. John Fisher College, Houghton College, Hartwick College, Elmira College, Utica College, and Alfred University.
Both women’s soccer and volleyball have earned the top spot in their respective leagues, earning the opportunity to host the conference at Stevens. Women’s soccer is 7-0-1 (wins/losses/ties) in conference play and will play Houghton on Friday at 7 p.m. in the first round of the tournament. Women’s volleyball is undefeated in conference play, 8-0 against conference opponents. The first game in their tournament will be Saturday at 12 p.m. in the Schaefer Athletic Center against Elmira.
What’s on the line for the women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, field hockey, and men’s soccer competing in their conference tournaments at Ithaca this weekend? A trip to the NCAA tournament. The Empire 8 champions get an automatic bid to the national tournament. This is an opportunity for these athletes to represent Stevens on a national stage. The winner of the first round of games will advance to play a second game—the championship game—on the following day, Saturday at 7 p.m. for women’s soccer and Sunday at 12 p.m. for women’s volleyball.
