Football | 11/20/2025 1:00:00 PM
PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Ten St. John Fisher University football standouts have earned All-Empire 8 Conference honors for the 2025 season.
The Cardinals had four players garner second-team honors, two on offense and two on defense. That group includes senior offensive lineman Elijah Williams, fifth-year wide receiver Jaylen Brantley, sophomore linebacker Jack Tanoory and junior safety Timothy Vanderbrink.
Senior running back Camden Chance, senior offensive lineman Justin Rojek, junior quarterback Mason Lister, junior offensive lineman Jacob Sturgis and junior wide receiver Jackson Cusack were named to the third-team offense. Junior defensive lineman Ty Rader earned a spot on the third-team defense.
Only one of Fisher's 10 selections (Cusack) had earned All-Empire 8 honors previously.
Additionally, senior linebacker Tyler Marks was selected as St. John Fisher's representative on the conference's "Tomorrow's Leaders Team." The Tomorrow's Leaders Team recognizes a student-athlete from each E8 team who has demonstrated leadership in competition, in the classroom and in their community.
Williams has played and started in every game this season at center, helping pave the way for an offense that averages 174 yards rushing per game. The Cardinals have 17 rushing touchdowns on the year, the third most in the Empire 8.
Brantley leads the Cardinals with 32 receptions and 531 yards receiving, both career highs. He caught six passes for 132 yards against Rochester and five for 149 with a touchdown against Hartwick. He's the first Fisher player to have multiple 100-plus yard receiving performances in a season since Will Blake in 2019.
Tanoory, who has played in eight of Fisher's 10 games, is second on the team in total tackles (63), solo tackles (46) and tackles for a loss of yards (5.5). He's also intercepted a pass, broken up two passes and forced three fumbles.
Vanderbrink had been producing like one of the top defensive players in the Empire 8 and beyond before suffering an injury midway through the season. In six games, he made 58 total tackles (39 solo, 3.5 for a loss), recovered two fumbles and forced two fumbles. He returned a fumble for a score in Fisher's season-opening win at FDU Florham on Sept. 6 for his second collegiate touchdown.
Lister, who has started in seven of Fisher's 10 games, has completed 63% of his passes for 1,309 yards with 10 touchdowns to five interceptions. He's also rushed for 313 yards and a pair of scores on 87 attempts. Lister, in a 35-21 win over Hartwick on Oct. 11, set career highs in completion percentage (71.4%) and passing yards (356). With four touchdowns passing and one rushing in that game, he became the first Fisher player to account for five or more scores since quarterback Matt Naton threw six touchdown passes in a win over Hartwick in November 2016.
Chance has rushed for 446 yards and four touchdowns on 82 carries and caught 10 passes for 211 yards and two scores. He produced the best receiving performance in program history by a running back in Fisher's win over Hartwick, catching three passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns, an 80-yarder and a 54-yarder. That performance made Chance the first Fisher running back to have a 100-yard receiving game since Ryan Kramer caught 11 passes for 108 yards against Ithaca in October 2013. Additionally, with his 80-yard score in the first quarter, he became the first Fisher running back to log a receiving touchdown since Chambers against Cortland in October 2017.
Rojek (right tackle) and Sturgis (left tackle) have also played and started in each of Fisher's 10 games on the offensive line.
A third-team All-E8 honoree last year, Cusack has 30 pass receptions for 334 yards with four touchdowns, tied for the team lead, this season. He's caught three or more passes in seven games.
Rader leads the Cardinals with a career-high 8.5 tackles for a loss. He has 29 total tackles, including 13 solo stops, on the season.
The Cardinals conclude the 2025 season against RPI in the ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl on Saturday at Growney Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.
