MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – The Empire 8 Conference office has announced its 2025 Empire 8 Football Tomorrow's Leaders Team, selecting SUNY Morrisville senior defensive back, Elijah Rawleigh (Watertown, N.Y.) as the institution's representative.
 
The Empire 8 team honors a student-athlete who has emerged as a leader not only on the field of play, but in the classroom and in the community. In addition, they "compete with honor and integrity" and have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportsmen.

"Developing character and integrity is a hallmark of the Empire 8," said E8 Executive Director Chuck Mitrano. "This series is proof that Empire 8 and our member institutions are committed to intercollegiate athletics' important role in higher education."
 
"True sportsmanship is not just about winning; it's about how you play the game," head coach Erin Jendryaszek said.
 
"Eli exemplifies this by overcoming injury with resilience, transforming his challenges into lessons for others. As both a player and a mentor, he uplifts his teammates, respects his opponents, and leads with integrity, embodying the spirit of tomorrow's leaders both on and off the field."
 
Rawleigh appeared in nine games for the Mustangs, recording 39 total tackles, including three for a loss of 11 yards. Throughout his four-year career he has made 47 stops, defended a pass, forced a fumble and led off the field in the classroom as well, earning Dean's List and Empire 8 President's List accolades for academic excellence.
 
The senior is slated to earn his degree in business administration from SUNY Morrisville this spring.
 
SUNY Morrisville's curricula are enriched with applied learning and pave the way for opportunity at the Morrisville and Norwich campuses. An action-oriented, interactive learning lab, the college is a national leader in technology and has been lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs.
 
The college was ranked among the Best Regional Colleges in the North by U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2023 issue and earned additional recognition in Top Public Schools Regional Colleges (North). For more information about SUNY Morrisville, visit www.morrisville.edu.
 
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