Women's Swimming and Diving | 10/17/2025 10:30:00 AM
SUNY Geneseo will look for back-to-back Empire 8 Championships, as the 2025-26 season gets underway this week. The Empire 8 Championship will take place between Wednesday, Feb. 18 - Saturday Feb. 21.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the Empire 8 Network.
2025-26 Empire 8 Women's Swimming and Diving Players to Watch
(Sorted Alphabetically by Institution)
Alfred University - Head Coach Brian Striker
Ruby Kavanagh, Jr., Queens, NY/LaGuardia High School of Music & Art - Kavanagh, a diver for the Saxons, finished seventh in the 3-meter dive at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. In the 1-meter dive, she placed eighth.
Elizabeth Share, So., Macedon, NY/Palmyra-Macedon - Share, the 2024-25 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, earned second team all-conference honors in the 100-yad and 200-yard backstroke at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships.
SUNY Brockport - Head Coach Zach Wahl
Maddie Erhardt, Jr., Alden, NY/Alden - Erhardt is a freestyle and butterfly swimmer. She earned second team all-conference at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships finishing second in the 200-yard freestyle relay.
Addy Martino, Sr., North Tonawanda, NY/Starpoint - Martino competes in breaststroke and distance swimming. She finished third in the 400-yard and the 200-yard medley relays at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships.
SUNY Geneseo - Head Coach Paul Dotterwich
Abby Funk, Sr., Greece, NY/Greece Arcadia - Funk finished her 2024-25 season with four first place finishes at the 2025 Empire 8 Champinoships. Her finishes earned her first team all-conference in the 200-yard freestyle, 500-yard freestyle, 1,650-yard freestyle and the 800-yard freestyle relay. She also went on to compete at the NCAA DIII Championships in the 500-yard, 200-yard and the 1,650-yard freestyle.
Alex Sotek, Jr., New Lebanon, NY/New Lebanon - Sotek, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, was a six-time 2025 Empire 8 Champion last season. She earned first team all-conference in the 50-yard and the 100-yard freestyle, the 200-yard and 400-yard freestyle relays and the 200-yard and 400-yard medley relays. Her times sent her to the 2025 NCAA DIII Championships where she earned second team All-American in the 50-yard freestyle and the 200-yard medley relay.
Hartwick College - Head Coach Dale Rothenberger
Min-Syun Chen, Jr., Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs - Chen earned two second team all-conference honors after finishing as runner-up in the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke.
Cate Russo, Jr., San Pedro, CA/San Pedro - Russo, the 2023-24 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, had two Empire 8 titles at the 2024 Championships. She had first place finishes in the 200-yard medley relay and the 1,650-yard freestyle. She also had second team all-conference honors for the 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle.
Nazareth University - Head Coach R.C. Weston
Peyton Buell, Sr., Hamburg, NY/Hamburg - Buell earned second team all-conference honors for finishing second in the 200-yard and 400-yard medley relays at the 2025 Empire 8 Championships.
Emily LeFrois-Heath, Sr., Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima - LeFrois-Heath was the 2025 Empire 8 Champion in the 200-yard and 400-yard individual medley. She earned first team all-conference for her first place finishes. She earned second team all-conference in the 400-yard and 800-yard freestyle relays and the 200-yard and 400-yard medley relays.
Final 2024-25 Empire 8 Women's Swimming and Diving Results
Geneseo - 1,165 points - League Champions
Hartwick - 672 points
Brockport - 637 points
Nazareth - 553 points
Alfred - 369 points
2025-26 Empire 8 Women's Swimming and Diving Returning All-Americans, All-Region, Record Holders & Major Award Winners
- Cate Russo, Hartwick, Jr., San Pedro, CA/San Pedro - 2023-24 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year
- Elizabeth Share, Alfred, So., Macedon, NY/Palmyra-Macedon - 2024-25 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year
- Courtney Sorbello, Geneseo, Jr., Bethlehem, NY/Bethlehem - Empire 8 Record Holder, 200-yard medley relay.
- Alex Sotek, Geneseo, Jr., New Lebanon, NY/New Lebanon - 2025 50-yard Freestyle Second Team All-American, 2025 200-yard Medley Relay Second Team All-American; Empire 8 Record Holder, 200-yard medley relay.
- Emily Thomas, Geneseo, Jr., Rochester, NY/Greece Athena - 2025 200-yard Medley Relay Second Team All-American; Empire 8 Record Holder, 200-yard medley relay.