Hilton, NY--This year, Empire 8 will expand its postseason tournaments for men's and women's basketball, field hockey, men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball to six teams and softball to five teams as voted on by the league's Athletic Directors and approved by the Empire 8 President's Council. This year's limited expansion is the second non-emergent growth in the conference's 24-year history as a multi-sport conference.
 
In 2020, the Empire 8 added Keuka College as its ninth member and with the addition of Medaille University for the 2022-23 season, the Empire 8 now consists of 10 full members, its largest in history, leading to postseason expansion.
 
Postseason season tournaments for the 2022-23 season are expanding for men's and women's basketball, field hockey, men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball, as each sport features the maximum 10 teams competing. Softball will expand to a five-team tournament as nine institutions compete in the sport. Baseball, men's and women's lacrosse and men's and women's tennis will remain as four-team championship tournaments.
 
"We are excited to expand these conference tournaments to provide more institutions and student-athletes with high quality championships experiences," said Empire 8 Commissioner Chuck Mitrano. "While only one team will earn our automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament and we may earn at-large selections, Empire 8 Championships create lifelong memories and serve as the ultimate accomplishment for all competitors."
 
Empire 8 Championships for the 2022-23 season will begin on Oct. 1-2 with the fall portion of the men's golf championship. The first Empire 8 team champion of the year will be crowned Oct. 14-15, as the women's tennis tournament takes place at the top seed.
 
Here is a complete schedule of all Empire 8 Championships for the 2022-23 season. For a detailed look at each championship, visit the respective sport page and click the E8 Championship link. More information will be provided as the season progresses.
 
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.