Toby Lovecchio, athletics director at The University of Scranton, has announced that the Royal men’s golf program will join the Empire 8 Conference for the upcoming 2009-2010 academic year.                Scranton will join fellow Landmark Conference members Moravian College and Susquehanna University in the Empire 8 Conference this fall.  The conference will hold a fall championship at the Blue Heron Country Club in Rochester, New York, on September 19-20, with the spring championship to be staged at the Susquehanna Valley Country Club on April 17-18.                The Royals have played an independent schedule over the past two seasons, after ending its long-time affiliation with the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Corporation, more commonly known as the Middle Atlantic Conference, to join the Landmark Conference in November 2006.  The Landmark Conference does not sponsor a championship in men’s golf, since only four of its members—Scranton, Moravian, Susquehanna, and the United States Merchant Marine Academy—offer the sport.                “The University of Scranton is very grateful for the opportunity to join the Empire 8 Conference as an affiliate member in the sport of men’s golf,” says Lovecchio.  “This is a wonderful opportunity for our student-athletes and coaching staff.  We look forward to our association with the Empire 8, in addition to competing with our Landmark Conference colleagues, Moravian and Susquehanna.”“The Empire 8 is pleased to add these fine institutions and their excellent golf teams as conference affiliates,” said Empire 8 President Dr. Thomas Meier of Elmira College in a press release furnished by conference office.  Empire 8 Commissioner Chuck Mitrano added, “The Empire 8 is extremely excited to announce this relationship.  Not only do they run quality men’s golf programs, but these institutions have reputations for great leadership, exceptional academics, and exemplary conduct, making them perfect members of the Empire 8.  We look forward to enhancing the quality experiences for all student-athletes involved.”Scranton, Moravian and Susquehanna will join Empire 8 men’s golf members Elmira College, Nazareth College, St. John Fisher College, Stevens Institute of Technology, and Utica College.  St. John Fisher College has won the Empire 8 Conference title in each of the last five years and placed third at the 2007 NCAA Division III championships.The Royals have won four championships (1973, 1975, 1976, 1988) in their previous affiliation with the Middle Atlantic Conference.  Current head coach Ed Karpovich is a two-time MAC individual champion (1974, 1976) and competed in the NCAA championships twice, finishing tied for 150^th in 1974 and tied for 42^nd in 1976.