Women's Outdoor Track and Field | 6/3/2025 2:45:00 PM
The Empire 8 Conference announced its 2025 Women’s Outdoor Track & Field All-Conference awards on Tuesday, June 3. The awards are voted on by the league's head coaches. Current and former NCAA Outdoor Champions Penelope Greene of SUNY Geneseo and Rebecca Heuler of SUNY Brockport highlighted the individual award winners.
Greene was named the Empire 8 Indoor Track Athlete of the Year after winning 2025 NCAA Championships in both the 5,000- and 10,000-meter events in dominant fashion from the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, OH from May 22-24. Greene began the meet by winning the 10,000-meters by 33 seconds in a time of 33:46.70. She then rolled to a nearly 15 second win in the 5,000-meters, crossing the finish line in a time of 16:01.55. She ran the sixth-fastest 5,000-meter time in NCAA history. Greene did lose an individual race against Division III competition during the spring, as she took the 5,000- and 10,000-meter title at the E8 Championships and won the 1,500-meters at the All-Atlantic Region Championships. Greene also set all-time Empire 8 records in the 1,500- (4:22.23), 5,000- (16:01.55) and 10,000-meters (33:42.16).
Heuler, the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Champion in the javelin throw was named the 2025 Empire 8 Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year. Heuler earned 2025 First Team All-American honors in the javelin, placing sixth overall at the NCAA Championships with a toss of 40.78 meters. She also won the javelin at the 2025 E8 Championships and qualified for nationals with a season-best throw of 41.23 meters at the Brockport Multi-Outdoor meet in April.
Alexa Belanger of Houghton University was named the 2025 Empire 8 Outdoor Rookie of the Year. Belanger, who was also named the 2024-25 E8 Indoor Rookie of the Year, earned NCAA First Team All-American honors for the Highlanders, finishing eighth in the high jump at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships. She cleared a season-best 1.71 meters in the high jump to win E8 Championship and qualify for the NCAA Championships. Belanger was also the runner-up in the event at the All-Atlantic Region Championships. Belanger is Houghton’s third E8 Outdoor Track and Field Rookie of the Year in program history.
SUNY Geneseo head coach Chris Popovici and his staff of assistant coaches Dan Moore, Christian Johnson, Kieran Sheridan and Gwen Shepardson was named the 2025 Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year. The Knights won their first Empire 8 Outdoor Track & Field Championship in dominant fashion and placed seventh at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Overall, Geneseo had 21 different student-athletes earn All-Conference honors, while Greene was national champion in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter events 400-meter dash, Greene, Gabriella McCarthy (10,000-meters) and Ann Brennan (3,000-meter steeplechase) earned First Team All-American honors. The Knights, who had 16 different student-athletes combine to earn 24 USTFCCCA All-Region accolades, shattered six E8 Outdoor Track and Field Championship records and 11 overall league marks in 2025.
The Empire 8 first, second and third team all-conference selections were determined at the championship meet on May 2-3 from Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stadium, hosted by SUNY Brockport.
One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2025 Women's Outdoor Track & Field Sportswoman of the Year Team. The Empire 8 Conference emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete's experience in conjunction with an institution's educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportswomen.
2025 Empire 8 Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Award Winners
Track Athlete of the Year: Penelope Greene, Sr., SUNY Geneseo
Field Athlete of the Year: Rebecca Heuler, Sr., SUNY Brockport
Rookie of the Year: Alexa Belanger, Fr., Houghton
Coaching Staff of the Year: SUNY Geneseo, led by head coach Chris Popovici
Empire 8 Sportswoman of the Year
Brianna Dorr, So., Alfred (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa)
Monica Cammarota, Fr., SUNY Brockport (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna)
Janelle Eckl, Sr., SUNY Geneseo (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon)
Julia Weinschreider, Fr., Hartwick (Williamson, NY/Williamson)
Victoria Brewster, So., Houghton (Montour Falls, NY/Odessa-Montour)
Kelsey Fahy, So., Nazareth (Victor, NY/Victor)
Mercedez Cecelia-Storey, So., Russell Sage (Pine Hill, NY/Onteora)
Makenna Manson, Fr., St. John Fisher (Fort Covington, NY/Salmon River)
Riley King, So., Utica (Oswego, NY/Oswego)
2025 Empire 8 Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship All-Conference Selections
100-Meter Dash
First Team: Victoria Brewster, So., Houghton – :11.99
Second Team: Abigail Dorunda, Fr., St. John Fisher – :12.47
Third Team: Alaina Morley, Jr., Nazareth – :12.52
100-Meter Hurdles
First Team: Jillian Ambler, So., SUNY Geneseo – :14.51
Second Team: Ciarra Franz, Sr., St. John Fisher – :14.90
Third Team: Samantha Luba, Jr., Nazareth – :15.09
200-Meter Dash
First Team: Marissa Wise, Sr., SUNY Brockport – :24.84
Second Team: Brynn Mooney, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :25.03
Third Team: Victoria Brewster, So., Houghton – :25.32
400-Meter Dash
First Team: Brynn Mooney, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :55.21
Second Team: Marissa Wise, Sr., SUNY Brockport – :57.85
Third Team: Nicole Gretzinger, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :58.42
400-Meter Hurdles
First Team: Alexis Rodriguez, Jr., SUNY Brockport – 1:02.84
Second Team: Ava Bagley, So., SUNY Geneseo – 1:04.64
Third Team: Elaina Flaitz, So., SUNY Geneseo – 1:05.62
800-Meter Run
First Team: Janelle Eckl, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 2:12.27
Second Team: Dakota Limbert, Fr.., SUNY Geneseo – 2:15.80
Third Team: Caitlin Voloshen, Jr., St. John Fisher – 2:16.63
1,500-Meter Run
First Team: Sierra Doody, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 4:39.29
Second Team: Mia Vizcaino, Sr., SUNY Brockport – 4:40.72
Third Team: Kaitlyn Grossman, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 4:44.28
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
First Team: Ann Brennan, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 10:52.11
Second Team: Jillian O’Rourke, So., SUNY Geneseo – 11:17.75
Third Team: Isabel Marzec, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 11:20.89
5,000-Meter Run
First Team: Penelope Greene, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 16:39.34
Second Team: Lilly Fowler-Conner, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 16:48.44
Third Team: Gabby McCarthy, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 17:30.24
10,000-Meter Run
First Team: Penelope Greene, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 38:13.69
Second Team: Gabby McCarthy, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 38:34.41
Third Team: Marlo Townsend, So., Utica – 39:31.75
4 x 100-Meter Relay
First Team: Sam Pynn, Sr., Brynn Mooney, Jr., Jillian Ambler, So., Kayla Huba, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :47.38
Second Team: Alexis Rodriguez, Jr., Marissa Wise, Sr., Lily Rexford, Jr., Courtney Bostic, Jr., SUNY Brockport – :49.04
Third Team: Alexis Lasher, Jr., Alaina Morley, Jr., Jasmine Kendrick, So., Jordan Wagner, So., Nazareth – :49.05
4 x 400-Meter Relay
First Team: Janelle Eckl, Sr., Nicole Gretzinger, Jr., Ava Bagley, So., Brynn Mooney, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 3:55.50
Second Team: Abigail Dorunda, Fr., Sophia Leach, So., Emma Wright, Sr., Gracie Wright, Sr., St. John Fisher – 4:01.82
Third Team: Alexis Rodriguez, Jr., Monica Cammarota, Fr., Courtney Bostic, Jr., Marissa Wise, Sr., SUNY Brockport – 4:02.58
4 x 800-Meter Relay
First Team: Mia Vizcaino, Sr., Ethne Degan, Fr., Jaylah Cossin, Gr., Vanessa Ramos, Sr., SUNY Brockport – 9:23.28
Second Team: Maggie Bacon, So., Grace Caterina, Fr., Olivia Grinnell, Jr., Brianne Hurlbut, Fr., St. John Fisher– 9:32.33
Third Team: Ella Impaglia, Jr., Abigail Bowman, Fr., Ava Baker, So., Kelsey Fahy, So., Nazareth – 9:37.99
Pole Vault
First Team: Kiara Tornusciolo, Jr., Nazareth – 3.60 meters
Second Team: Isabel Morse, Jr., Nazareth – 3.50 meters
Third Team: Nicole Gretzinger, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 3.35 meters
Third Team: Kathryn Hillyard, Fr., St. John Fisher – 3.35 meters
High Jump
First Team: Alexa Belanger, Fr., Houghton – 1.71 meters
Second Team: Hannah Allison, So., Utica – 1.60 meters
Third Team: Kathryn Hillyard, Fr., St. John Fisher – 1.60 meters
Long Jump
First Team: Jillian Ambler, So., SUNY Geneseo – 5.90 meters
Second Team: Veronica Duell, Sr., St. John Fisher – 5.68 meters
Third Team: Sasha Schramm, Jr., SUNY Brockport – 5.63 meters
Triple Jump
First Team: Katie Jacques, Sr., Nazareth – 11.40 meters
Second Team: Nora Devitt, Sr., Utica – 11.02 meters
Third Team: Sydney LaSalle, Jr., Nazareth – 10.90 meters
Shot Put
First Team: Payton Mehalick, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 12.85 meters
Second Team: Zoe Connor, Gr., SUNY Geneseo – 12.77 meters
Third Team: Erin McGuiness, Jr., St. John Fisher – 12.45 meters
Discus Throw
First Team: Skyler Klimow, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 38.58 meters
Second Team: Erin McGuiness, Jr., St. John Fisher – 35.53 meters
Third Team: Ella Manelis, Fr., SUNY Geneseo – 34.92 meters
Hammer Throw
First Team: Zoe Connor, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 51.48 meters
Second Team: Lea Richard, Gr., Nazareth – 50.48 meters
Third Team: Lainey Porter, Sr., SUNY Brockport – 47.87 meters
Javelin Throw
First Team: Rebecca Heuler, Sr., SUNY Brockport – 39.12 meters
Second Team: Skyler Klimow, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 37.51 meters
Third Team: Sierra Myers, Fr., St. John Fisher – 36.87 meters
Heptathlon
First Team: Stefania Grimaldi, So., Utica – 3,868 points
Second Team: Lauren Bendall, Gr., Nazareth – 3,810 points
Third Team: Victoria Rogoyski, Fr., St. John Fisher – 3,440 points
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.
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