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| Hilbert athletics photo |
The Empire 8 and Liberty League have announced a crossover football scheduling agreement for the 2025 and 2026 seasons with the potential of renewal in future seasons. Members of both conferences fill vacancies within their respective schedules with nonconference opponents, with each institution playing two contests (one home, one away) against opponents from the other conference.
Hilbert, who will begin play with the Empire 8 this fall, will move to the Liberty League in 2025, giving both leagues eight football members.
“We are excited to partner with the Liberty League for our football scheduling agreement,” said Empire 8 executive director Chuck Mitrano. “This collaboration will provide quality competition, renew and create local rivalries and enhance the student-athlete experience with like-minded institutions.”
The conferences focused on a combination of competitive balance and geography when planning the matchups. With both leagues boasting eight members each in 2025, an alliance between the two conferences was a great fit for all 16 institutions.
Empire 8 football-playing institutions for the 2025 season include Alfred, Alfred State, Brockport, Cortland, Hartwick, Morrisville State, St. John Fisher University and Utica University. SUNY Cortland won the 2023 NCAA Division III football championship for the first time in program history, finishing with a 14-1 record, while defeating North Central, 38-37 in the 50th annual Stagg Bowl. The Red Dragons have won three straight Empire 8 titles.
“Our Liberty League football-playing institutions look forward to partnering with the Empire 8 members through a football scheduling partnership,” said Liberty League commissioner Tracy King. “We’re appreciative of Empire 8 commissioner Chuck Mitrano as well as Hilbert College president Dr. Michael Brophy and director of athletics Tim Seil for their willingness to partner with us to strengthen Division III football in New York. As the Division III conference landscape has changed, football scheduling has become increasingly challenging. We have a natural scheduling partner in our region and it made perfect sense to work together to provide competitive opportunities for teams in both conferences.”
“Many of the institutions in both conferences have a long history of competing against each other in football. Our teams are among the most competitive in Division III and have always matched up well with each other. We look forward to renewing some of these matchups and creating new ones.”
Liberty League football-playing institutions in 2025 will include Buffalo State, Hilbert, Hobart, Ithaca, Rochester, RPI, St. Lawrence and Union. Ithaca has won the last two outright Liberty League championships, while the Bombers and Union competed in the 2023 NCAA playoffs.
The majority of games each season during the non-conference scheduling agreement will be played during weeks 2 and 3. The agreement was structured to allow for the annual Cortaca Jug game between Cortland and Ithaca to continue to be played during Week 11.