Women's Tennis | 8/28/2024 9:58:03 AM
Alfred University will look to earn its second consecutive Empire 8 Championship, as the 2024 women’s tennis season gets underway on Aug. 29-30. League play is set to start on Sept. 7. SUNY Brockport and SUNY Geneseo join the conference in 2024, expanding the Empire 8 women’s tennis membership to nine programs.
The top six teams will advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place with first round action on Tuesday, Oct. 15. E8 Semifinal and Championship matches will be played at the home of the regular season champion on Friday, Oct. 18 and Saturday, Oct. 19. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2025 NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Championship, which will take place starting in May.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the
Empire 8 Network.
2024 Empire 8 Women's Tennis Players to Watch
Ryann Ashby, Hartwick, Sr., Malta, NY/Ballston Spa – Ashby has earned All-Empire 8 honors in each of her first three seasons with Hartwick, second team in singles in 2021 and third team in 2022 and 2023. She is also a two-time All-E8 selection in doubles.
Arija Grant, Houghton, Jr., Kennebunk, ME/Kennebunk – A two-time Empire 8 Player to Watch, Grant will be expected to play at or near the top of the lineup in singles and doubles.
Maddy Langley, St. John Fisher, So., Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima – Langley helped lead the Cardinals to the Empire 8 Championship match last season and will be counted on to play a greater role in 2024.
Elizabeth Madsen, Alfred, So., Portland, OR/Grant – Madsen, the reigning 2023 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, was also named the Empire 8 Championship Most Valuable Player, earned All-E8 first team singles accolades and second team doubles honors.
Natalie Pipes, SUNY Geneseo, So., Victor, NY/Victor – Pipes earned All-SUNYAC first team honors in doubles and is expected to play at both first singles and first doubles for the Knights this season.
Olivia Raschiatore, SUNY Brockport, Jr., Rochester, NY/East Rochester – Raschiatore was an All-SUNYAC second team selection in doubles last season, finishing with an 8-4 record.
Tirzah Spivey, Russell Sage, Jr., Clifton Park, NY/Schenectady – Spivey, a 2023 All-Empire 8 first team singles selection 2022 All-E8 second team singles pick, went 5-1 at first singles in E8 play during the 2023 season.
Lyndsey Tiedemann, Utica, Jr., Salt Point, NY/Franklin D. Roosevelt – Tiedemann won five singles matches last season for the Pioneers and will be counted on to play a greater role in 2024.
Catherine Zak, Nazareth, Jr., Glastonbury, CT/Glastonbury – Zak earned All-Empire 8 first team singles and first team doubles accolades in 2023 in addition to earning All-E8 second team singles selection in 2022.
Empire 8 Women's Tennis Team Capsules (Sorted by 2023 Standings)
Hartwick
The Hawks will look win their second Empire 8 Championship in the last three seasons in 2024. Hartwick, the 2022 and 2023 E8 Regular Season Champions, returns eight players and five starters from last season in 2024. Phoebe Olson, the 2022 Empire 8 Co-Rookie of the Year, 2022 Empire 8 Tournament MVP and 2023 Empire 8 Player of the Year, is back for her junior season. She has 21 singles victories, and 24 doubles wins in her first two seasons. Seniors Ryann Ashby and Colleen Marsh in addition to junior Maggie Van Valkenburgh and sophomores Gianna Leggieri and Lily Vanuga were All-Empire 8 selections in 2023. Newcomers Alex Krasinska and Sam Lantzy will also look to earn a spot in the deep Hartwick lineup right away.
Alfred
The Saxons will look to repeat as Empire 8 Champions in 2024 under first-year head Jake Fisler, who was a standout student-athlete in the conference with Houghton University from 2016-2021. Sophomore Elizabeth Madsen, the 2023 E8 Rookie of the Year and 2023 Empire 8 Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player is back to lead the way. Madsen finished 12-3 overall in singles play and won 11 doubles matches last season. Sophomore Allison Windich was an All-E8 third team selection in singles, while fellow returners Claire Lander and Alyssa Siegert will be counted on to help lead the Saxons in 2024. Newcomers Becca Eppling and Kaitlyn Rios will also look to step right in and contribute.
Nazareth
The Golden Flyers will attempt to win their sixth league crown in 2024. Nazareth returns nearly its entire lineup from last season, including junior Catherine Zak will lead the Golden Flyers in 2023. Zak earned All-Empire 8 first team singles accolades and first team doubles plaudits with McKenna Ellis. Ellis also garnered All-E8 second team singles honors and will be counted on to play second singles in 2024. Graduate student Ali Klee is expected to step in at third singles and second doubles this season.
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher will look to earn its second Empire 8 title this fall after becoming the first No. 4 seed to advance to the league championship in 2023. Sophomore Maddy Langley is coming off a strong debut season and will be counted on to lead the Cardinals at first singles and first doubles this season. Junior Lilly Renzi and sophomore Lily Miller are back after both earning All-E8 second team honors in 2023, while Abby Garvey and Eliana Kelly will also be counted on to lead the way. Newcomers Sydney Emerson and Sara Martin will be counted on to be top additions to the Cardinals squad.
Utica
The Pioneers will look to make it back to the Empire 8 Tournament in 2024, after being in contention until the final week of the regular season in 2023. Sophomore Lyndsey Tiedemann will lead the Pioneers after earning five singles wins last season. Seniors Paetra Heeren and Callie Ott will also be counted on to lead the way this season.
Russell Sage
The Gators will look to get back to the Empire 8 Tournament in 2024. Junior Tirzah Spivey is a two-time All-E8 singles selection, earning first team accolades in 2023 and second team plaudits in 2022. She finished 5-1 at first singles in league play last season. Graduate student Emma Nuzzi and senior Emma Vander Baan will be counted on to lead the way as well for the Gators. Newcomers Marian Aguirre, Olivia Monaco and Noella Morris will look to step right into the lineup.
Houghton
Houghton will look to get back to the Empire 8 Tournament after having its four-year consecutive run snapped in 2023. Head Coach Jordan Crouch, who earned All-Empire 8 honors with the Houghton men’s program and led Alfred’s women’s team to the 2023 E8 Championship, returns to his alma mater as head coach. Junior Arija Grant and senior Allie Leary are both expected to play towards the top of the Highlanders lineup this season. In addition, junior Clancey Cockle will make a major impact as well. First-year Victoria Martinez is a highly touted newcomer who will be expected to step right into the starting lineup.
SUNY Brockport
SUNY Brockport enters its first season as a member of the Empire 8. The Golden Eagles return All-SUNYAC second team selection, junior Olivia Raschiatore in addition to senior Sophie Langdon and junior Lena Paolicelli. Head coach Ed Gonzalez has brought in seven highly touted newcomers to the mix, including Hannah Gardner, a transfer from SUNY Delhi.
SUNY Geneseo
The Knights of SUNY Geneseo make their Empire 8 debut in 2024 after winning 11 SUNYAC team titles, with the last coming in 2017. Geneseo advanced to the SUNYAC Championship match last season and return six players for head coach Alan Heverly, including sophomore Natalie Pipes, who earned All-SUNYAC first team honors in doubles and played at first singles. Sophomore Samantha Rava will be expected to play a larger role in 2024 after competing at fourth singles and second doubles last season. Newcomers Rachel Molloy and Joann Catalano are expected to step in and earn a spot in the lineup.
Final 2023 Empire 8 Women’s Tennis Standings ^
Hartwick (9-6, 6-0 E8)
Alfred (13-3, 5-1 E8) – League Champions
Nazareth (5-9, 4-2 E8)
St. John Fisher (4-9, 2-4 E8)
Utica (3-7, 2-4 E8)
Russell Sage (3-9, 2-4 E8)
Houghton (0-13, 0-6 E8)
^ SUNY Brockport and SUNY Geneseo are making its Empire 8 debut in 2024. Brockport and Geneseo competed in the SUNYAC in 2023.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com and
YouTube
EMPIRE 8 SOCIAL MEDIA
YouTube –
Facebook –
Twitter –
Instagram