ROCHESTER, NY - On Tuesday, March 24, the Empire 8 Conference announced its 2025–26 Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field All-Conference honors. The selections were based on each athlete's placement within their specific event at the Empire 8 Championship meet. The Utica Pioneers earned an impressive nine All-Conference selections for the women and six for the men, highlighted by the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, Wayne Spencer (Rochester, NY/Padilla (Franklin Campus)), who was an all-conference selection in two different events. 
 
Men
 
Wayne Spencer (Rochester, NY/Padilla (Franklin Campus)) | Rookie of the Year / Triple Jump - All-Conference (Second-Team) / Long Jump - All Conference (Third-Team)
Freshman Wayne Spence was named Empire 8 Indoor Track & Field Rookie of the Year after a standout debut season. Spencer earned All-Conference honors in both the triple jump and long jump, posting marks of 14.22 meters and 7.15 meters, respectively, while earning silver in the triple jump and bronze in the long jump at the Empire 8 Indoor Track and Field Championships. Spencer capped off his freshman campaign ranked 28th nationally in the long jump and 49th in the triple jump in NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field. 
 
Tobias Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham Central), Cameron Hoffis (Queensbury, NY/Lake George), Forest Martin (Poland, NY/Poland Central), and Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) | Distance Medley Relay - All-Conference (First-Team)
At the Empire 8 Championship, the Utica men's distance medley relay team of Tobias Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham Central), Cameron Hoffis (Queensbury, NY/Lake George), Forest Martin (Poland, NY/Poland Central), and Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) earned First Team All-Conference honors after posting a time of 10:22.03. The relay's performance recorded one of the top times in program history earning this All-Conference recognition along with the Empire 8 Indoor Distance Medley Relay Championship.
 
Kaiden McCaskill (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) | High Jump - All-Conference (First-Team)
Senior Kaiden McCaskill (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) earned First Team All-Conference honors in the high jump after clearing 1.96 meters at the Empire 8 Championship to take home the gold. His performance this season also earned him a No. 3 Regional ranking in the high jump
 
Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) | 3000m – All-Conference (Third Team) 
Junior Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) put together a standout indoor season for the Pioneers, earning third team in the 3000 meters with a season-best time of 8:28.39 while also helping lead the Pioneers to a conference title in the distance medley relay.  Melita continued to etch his name into the program record book, setting school records in both the 3000 meters (8:30.99) and 5000 meters (14:55.60), capping off an impressive indoor campaign.
 
Killian Bauer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill) | 5000m - All-Conference (Third-Team)
Freshman Killian Bauer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill) earned Third Team All-Conference honors in the 5000 meters after recording a time of 15:12.04 during the Empire 8 Championship. His performance placed him among the top distance runners in NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field, highlighting a strong rookie campaign for the Pioneers.
 
Nicholas Peccia (Lafayette, NJ/High Point Regional) | Tomorrow's Leaders
Peccia was named to the Empire 8 Tomorrow's Leaders Team, recognized by his peers for his sportsmanship,integrity and commitment on and off the track throughout the 2025-26 Indoor Track and Field season. 
 
Women
 
Allie Cary (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) | Shot Put - All-Conference (Second-Team)
Junior Allie Cary (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) earned Second Team All-Conference honors in the Shot Put after throwing 13.31 meters at the Empire 8 Championship. Her performance this season also led her to earn a No. 1 Regional ranking and No.7 National ranking in the Shot Put.
 
Hannah Allison (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer) | High Jump - All-Conference (Second-Team)
Junior Hannah Allison (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer) earned Second Team All-Conference honors in the High Jump after clearing 1.59 meters at the Empire 8 Championship. Her performance this season also led her to earn No. 9 Regional ranking in the High Jump.
 
Laura Suppa (Canastota, NY/Canastota) | 60m/60mH - All-Conference (Second-Team) / 200m - All Conference (Third-Team)
Senior Laura Suppa (Canastota, NY/Canastota) earned Second Team All-Conference in both the 60m and the 60m hurdles after hitting times of 7.72 seconds and 8.70 seconds respectively, at the Empire 8 Championship. She would also earn Third Team All-Conference in the 200m dash as she ran 25.56 seconds. This would earn her regional ranks of No. 3 in both the 60m and 60m hurdles, as well as No. 6 in the 200m dash. Suppa would also earn the No. 8 rank nationally in the 60m Hurdles.
 
Riley King (Oswego, NY/Oswego) | Weight Throw - All-Conference (Third-Team) / Tomorrow's Leaders
Junior Riley King (Oswego, NY/Oswego) earned Third Team All-Conference in the Weight Throw as she threw 15.26 meters. Her performance would also earn her a No. 11 rank regionally and would be on the Empire 8 Tomorrow's Leaders Team. 
 
Arianna McClendon (Rome, NY/New York Mills), Lilly Messler (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville), Lacey Simmons (Vernon Center, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill), Shiann Williams (Bronx, NY/Hydel) | 4x400m Relay - All-Conference (Third-Team)
At the Empire 8 Championship, Utica's 4x400m Relay team of Arianna McClendon (Rome, NY/New York Mills), Lilly Messler (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville), Lacey Simmons (Vernon Center, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill), and Shiann Williams (Bronx, NY/Hydel) earned Third Team All-Conference after running a time of 4:03.89. This was a top time as they would earn a Regional ranking of No. 4. 
 
Catherine Manna (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), Lilly Messler (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville), Lacey Simmons (Vernon Center, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill), Marlo Townsend (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) | Distance Medley Relay - All-Conference (Third-Team)
At the Empire 8 Championship, Utica's Distance Medley team of Catherine Manna (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), Lilly Messler (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville), Lacey Simmons (Vernon Center, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill), and Marlo Townsend (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) earned Third Team All-Conference after running a time of 12:39.27. Their performance this season has earned them a No. 10 ranking regionally.