Women's Tennis | 8/28/2026 11:00:00 AM
Hartwick College will look to repeat as Empire 8 Champions, as the 2026-27 season gets underway on August 28 and league play begins on Sept. 4. The Hawks have won three of the last four league championships.
The top six teams will advance to the E8 Championship Tournament, which will take place with quarterfinal action on Tuesday, Oct. 13 or Wednesday, Oct. 14, semifinal round matches on Friday Oct. 16, and the championship the next day on Saturday, Oct. 17. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2026-27 NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championship.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the
Empire 8 Network.
2026 Empire 8 Women's Tennis Players to Watch
Alfred University - Head Coach Bob Cilino
Elizabeth Madsen, Sr., Portland, OR/Grant - Madsen, the 2023 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, earned All-E8 third team singles in 2025. She earned first team singles and second team doubles in 2024. In her junior season, Madsen went 7-5 in second singles and tied the program career doubles win record.
Alyssa Seegert, Sr., Oroville, CA/Las Plumas - Seegert earned third team All-Conference honors in 2024. In 2024 she went 4-4 in third singles and 5-4 in second doubles.
SUNY Brockport - Head Coach Ed Gonzalez
Leah Banes, So., Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park - In her first season for the Golden Eagles, Banes went 4-6 overall in singles and 6-4 in doubles. In singles, she played in the second and third position and went 2-4 in conference matches. In doubles, she played in the first and second positions and went 3-3 in conference play.
Cara Vasile, Jr, Auburn, NY/Auburn - Vasile went 4-7 in first and second singles for the Golden Eagles in 2025. She held a 2-4 conference record. In doubles, she went 5-6 in the first position and posted a 2-4 conference record.
SUNY Geneseo - Head Coach Alan Heverly
Natalie Pipes, Sr., Victor, NY/Victor - Pipes, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, was the 2025 Empire 8 Player of the Year. She earned first team All-E8 singles and first team doubles. She went 10-4 in first singles and 6-4 in first doubles.
Samantha Rava, Sr., Fairport, NY/Fairport - Rava is also a two-time E8 Player to Watch for the Knights. She earned first team All-Conference accolades in singles and was a second team pick in doubles. She went 9-5 in second singles and 6-4 in second doubles.
Hartwick College - Head Coach Mario Hernandez
Samantha Lantzy, Jr., Valatie, NY/Ichabod Crane - Lantzy, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, earned first team All-Conference accolades in both singles and doubles. She went 10-6 overall in singles at both the first and second position. She went 14-4 in doubles in both the first and second position. Lantzy was also named the 2025 E8 Tournament Most Valuable Player.
Gianna Leggieri, Sr., Ballston Lake, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake - Leggieri earned a second team All-Conference nod in singles and a first team nod in 2025. She was on the 2025 Empire 8 Doubles Team of the Year with Phoebe Olson. In singles, she competed at the third, fourth and fifth positions going 12-5. In doubles, she competed in the first position and went 11-3.
Houghton University - Head Coach Matt Webb
Sage Brinckerhoff, So., Savona, NY/Campbell Savona - Brinckerhoff, the 2025 Empire 8 Co-Rookie of the Year, had a fantastic opening season for the Highlanders. She earned All-E8 second team singles honors as well as third team doubles honors. She went 8-5 in her singles matches from the first and second position. In doubles, she went 6-7 in the first position.
Victoria Martinez, Jr., Spencer, NY/Haverling - Martinez played all over for the Highlanders in 2025. She went 8-5 overall and 4-4 in conference play in second, fourth and fifth singles. Martinez played with a few partners in doubles matches and went 5-8.
Nazareth University - Head Coach Paul Waida
Victoria Cioni, Sr., New Hartford, NY/New Hartford - Cioni registered 18 wins across singles and doubles matches in 2025-26. She competed at fourth singles and second doubles. Cioni led the Golden Flyers with a 10-5 singles record and tied for the most E8 singles and doubles wins with five.
Anna Spencer, Sr., Bridgeport, NY/Chittenango - Spencer registered 14 combined doubles and singles wins in her 2025-26 season. She played third singles and second doubles and picked up six singles victories, three of them in Empire 8 play. She tied the team lead with five E8 doubles wins.
Russell Sage College - Head Coach Taylor Gillespie
Annabella Putnam, Gr., Prattsburgh, NY/Prattsburgh/Mansfield - Putnam played all of her 2025 singles and doubles matches in the first position. She is expected to be a competitor in the 2026 season. In the spring, Putnam was a member of the Gators softball team.
Katie Snell, Jr., Valley Falls, NY/Greenwich - Snell played her 2025 singles matches in the second and third position and her doubles in the first. She is an excting returner for the Gators in 2026.
St. John Fisher University - Head Coach Jason Byam
Adriana Colafranceschi, So., Clarence Center, NY/Clarence - Colafranceschi claimed four victories at second singles during her debut season for the Cardinals. She also had a hand in four doubles wins.
Lily Miller, Sr., Skaneateles, NY/Skaneateles - Miller, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, led the Cardinals with an 8-3 overall singles record in 2025. She posted each of her wins in the third singles spot. She went 6-0 in conference matches and became the Cardinals' first All-E8 first team selection since 2021. She earned four doubles victories to finish up her impressive season.
Utica University - Head Coach John Nigro
Hannah Loebbaka, So., Saugerties, NY/Saugerties - In her debut season for the Pioneers, Loebbaka earned her first win in fourth position singles. She had one win in doubles in the third position.
Lyndsey Tiedmann, Gr., Salt Point, NY/Franklin D. Roosevelt - Tiedemann is a three-time E8 Player to Watch. She had one win in first position singles and one win in first position doubles.
Final 2025 Empire 8 Women's Tennis Standings
Hartwick (14-5, 8-0 E8) - League Champions
Geneseo (9-3, 7-1 E8)
Nazareth (8-5, 5-3 E8)
St. John Fisher (5-5, 5-3 E8)
Alfred (10-5, 5-3 E8)
Houghton (5-9, 3-5 E8)
Brockport (3-7, 2-6 E8)
Utica (1-10, 1-7 E8)
Russell Sage (0-10, 0-8 E8)
2025 Empire 8 Women's Tennis Tournament Recap
First Round
No. 3 Nazareth University defeated No. 6 Houghton University, 4-0 – BOX SCORE
No. 5 Alfred University defeated No. 4 St. John Fisher University, 4-2 – BOX SCORE
Semifinals
No. 1 Hartwick College defeated No. 5 Alfred, 4-0 – BOX SCORE
No. 2 SUNY Geneseo defeated No. 3 Nazareth, 4-0 – BOX SCORE
Championship
No. 1 Hartwick defeated No. 2 SUNY Geneseo, 4-1
2025 Empire 8 Women's Tennis Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player
Phoebe Olson, Sr., Hartwick
2026 Empire 8 Women's Tennis Returning All-Americans, All-Region & Major Award Winners
- Sage Brinckerhoff, Houghton, So., Savona, NY/Campbell Savona - 2025 Empire 8 Co-Rookie of the Year
- Gianna Leggieri, Hartwick, Sr., Ballston Lake, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake - 2025 Empire 8 Doubles Team of the Year
- Lauren Levatino, Geneseo, So., Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro - 2025 Empire 8 Co-Rookie of the Year
- Elizabeth Madsen, Alfred, Jr., Portland, OR/Grant - 2023 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, 2023 Empire 8 Tournament Most Valuable Player
- Natalie Pipes, Geneseo, Sr., Victor, NY/Victor - 2025 Empire 8 Player of the Year