ONEONTA, N.Y. - The Hartwick Hawks finished seventh in the 2025-26 Empire 8 Commissioner's Cup standings, as announced by the conference office on Thursday.
Commissioner's Cup points are awarded based on each team's finish in the Empire 8 regular season and postseason standings. Point totals are determined by the number of conference-sponsored sports at each institution, with affiliate members excluded from the calculation. A team's regular season and postseason finishes are combined and averaged to determine its final point total for that sport.
Teams tied in the regular season standings are separated using conference tiebreaker procedures. The total points earned are then divided by the total possible points available to each institution, creating the final overall percentage used in the standings.
Hartwick wrapped up another strong athletic campaign with a seventh-place finish, narrowly trailing Houghton University by just 0.3 percent. The Hawks saw success throughout the year across multiple sports, highlighted by strong postseason performances and championship appearances.
The spring season was led by both lacrosse programs earning Empire 8 Tournament berths. Men's Lacrosse secured the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament, while Women's Lacrosse claimed the No. 5 seed. Track and field added valuable points to the Hartwick total with several podium finishes during both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Women's Flag Football also made an immediate impact in its inaugural varsity campaign, advancing to the Empire 8 semifinals to close out a successful first season for the Blue and White.
"I am excited to see the forward progress in our programs across the board this year, which reflects in moving up in the highly-competitive Empire 8 Conference," said Paul Vecchio, Executive Director of Athletics. "Considering we have had three start-up programs the past two years (softball, men's volleyball and flag football) to see us gain in both point percentage and ranking – and with less than 60 seniors across all of our sports – bodes extremely well for the 2026-27 season."
During the winter season, Swim and Dive paced the Hawks with another strong campaign, while Women's Tennis headlined the overall year by capturing the 2025 Empire 8 Women's Tennis Championship, securing the program's third conference title in the last four seasons in the fall. Women's Volleyball earned conference runner-up honors after advancing to the championship match against nationally ranked St. John Fisher. Field Hockey and Women's Soccer each reached the Empire 8 semifinals, while Men's Soccer continued its consistent postseason presence with another conference tournament appearance before falling to eventual champion Geneseo in the quarterfinals.
Hartwick showed continued growth throughout the 2025-26 season, improving its standing, point total, and overall percentage in the Commissioner's Cup rankings from the previous year. The Hawks will look to build on the momentum and continue their success heading into the 2026-27 campaign.
To view the full Empire 8 Commissioner's Cup release, click here.
About Hartwick College:
Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success—both professionally and personally.
