Women's Tennis | 10/18/2025 4:41:12 PM
ONEONTA, NY – No. 1 seed Hartwick College earned its third Empire 8 Championship in the last four seasons, outlasting No. 2 seed SUNY Geneseo by a score of 4-1 in the title match from Wilbur Park on Saturday, Oct. 18. Hartwick earns the Empire 8's automatic bid into the 2026 NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Championship, which begins May 8.
Hartwick senior Phoebe Olson was named the Empire 8 Women's Tennis Championship Most Valuable Player, while junior Samantha Lantzy was named the Empire 8 Torchbearer Award Winner for Academic Excellence.
Hartwick improves to 13-2 in 2025, while SUNY Geneseo falls to 9-3. The Hawks have now won 20 straight matches against Empire 8 competition, regular season and postseason, since the start of the 2024 season.
The Hawks made quick work in doubles action to seize early momentum. Samantha Lantzy and Lily Vanuga recorded a 6-0 win over Rachel Malloy and Samantha Rava at the second position, while Phoebe Olson and Gianna Leggieri recorded a 6-2 win at the first doubles spot over Natalie Pipes and JoAnn Catalano, as Hartwick earned the 1-0 lead.
In singles play, Hartwick quickly scored two more points to up its lead to 3-0, a point away from clinching the title, as Vanuga earned a 6-2, 6-2 win over Malloy at third singles and Maggie Van Valkenburgh recorded a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Catalano at fourth singles.
SUNY Geneseo would rally and get back into the match, as Pipes earned a 6-2, 7-5 win over Lantzy at first singles.
Geneseo was also in the lead at fifth singles with Lauren Levatino and sixth singles with Talia Wutz, threatening to draw even.
Olson would not allow that for the Hawks however, as clinched the championship with a three-set win over Rava at second singles, winning the third and decisive set, 6-1, as the duo traded 6-1 wins over the first two sets.
For the most up to date information on this year's championship, follow the Empire 8 Conference on X and Instagram (@Empire8).