2026 Empire 8 Women's Volleyball Tournament First Round

Sixth-seeded Russell Sage (14-15, 5-6 E8) vs. Third-seeded Hartwick (13-11, 8-3 E8)

Saturday, November 7, 2026 • 5 p.m. in Oneonta, N.Y. • Lambros Arena

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ONEONTA, N.Y. — The Hawks won five of their final six conference games to claim the third seed in the Empire 8 Women's Volleyball tournament as they will host sixth-seeded Russell Sage on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 5 pm in Lambros Arena to begin their journey in the 2026 Empire 8 Women's Volleyball Tournament.

TICKET PRICING: General admission tickets are $10 for adults, while tickets for seniors are $5. Students with ID (from a competing institution) are admitted for $2, and children under 12 are admitted free. Hartwick students, staff, and faculty are admitted free with valid ID.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES: Dating back to 1999, the Hawks lead this head-to-head series 26-10. Hartwick is currently on a 12-game winning streak against the Gators, and beat their conference opponent three times this season, defeating them twice in non-conference play before facing them in Oneonta for a 3-0 conference victory.  The last Russell Sage win over the Hawks came in 2016.

ABOUT THE HAWKS: The Hawks return to the Empire 8 Tournament this weekend, looking to get themselves back into the championship game after falling last year to top-seeded St. John Fisher in the final. Last year's championship was the first for Hartwick since 2022, and the team has now finished as a top-three seed in the conference in six straight seasons.

Offensively, the team is led by junior middle, Lucille Walker (Ithaca, N.Y./Ithaca), and senior right-side Isabella Gracias (Oneonta, N.Y./Oneonta). Walker has been efficient for the Hawks this year, even with a high volume of swings, as she boasts a .349 hitting percentage on 256 kills, 75 errors, and 518 total attacks. Walker's hitting percentage ranks third in the conference, while also ranking sixth in kills per set (3.16) and third in blocks per set (.79). She is also second in the conference in points per set at 4.02. Gracias has also been solid for the Hawks, with 185 kills on 64 errors and 555 attempts for a .218 hitting percentage, ranking just behind Walker in nearly every major category.

The conductor of the 'Wick offense has been sophomore setter Thylia Keoveingsamay (Rome, N.Y./Rome Free Academy), who has totaled 622 assists this year, averaging 8.18 per set, a mark that is second in the E8.

Defensively, senior libero Malia Dake (South Glens Falls, N.Y./South Glens Falls) has been a strong back row presence, averaging 3.66 digs per set and 293 total, good for sixth and seventh in the conference. Walker and Gracias have been great presences at the net, with 64 and 52 total blocks, respectively.

Head coach Joshua Bigford will make his first appearance as a head coach in the Empire 8 Tournament after being on the staff for the last three postseason runs. The St. John Fisher grad enjoyed a storied career for the Cardinals as a four-time All-American and the program's all-time leader in kills and now looks to have similar success as a coach.

ABOUT THE GATORS: The sixth-seeded Gators enter the postseason with a strong core of returning talent, as 11 players are back from last year's squad, including senior setter Cassidy Weiher, senior outside hitter Madeline Mott, senior defensive specialist Kailey Brooks, and sophomore libero Emma Curry.

Curry has emerged as one of the top defensive players in the Empire 8, earning Third Team All-E8 honors as a freshman last year. She enters the postseason ranked second in the conference with 549 digs (4.97 per set) and leads the nation with 96 service aces, averaging 0.86 per set.

Offensively, sophomore outside hitter Paige Kemmer leads the Gators with 316 kills, ranking third in the Empire 8. Junior outside hitter Mia Merino has added 267 kills, good for eighth in the conference.

Weiher has been another key contributor for the Gators, filling up the stat sheet with a pair of triple-doubles and seven double-doubles heading into the quarterfinal matchup at Hartwick. Curry's defensive production, combined with the team's offensive balance, has helped Sage put together a strong season as it looks to make a postseason run.

Head coach Rosilyn Cummings has led Russell Sage to the Empire 8 Tournament in three consecutive seasons after their first E8 tournament appearance in 2024. The team is still looking for their first Empire 8 postseason win after losing to Nazareth in 2024 and Brockport in 2025, each in the first round.

WHAT'S NEXT: The winner of the Hartwick and Russell Sage's matchup will face the winner of No. 2 Geneseo and No. 7 Nazareth on Wednesday, Nov. 11.