Men's Swimming and Diving | 3/31/2026 10:00:00 AM
SUNY Geneseo All-Americans Alex Palmer, Greg Meder and Peter Peyser garnered individual honors, as the Empire 8 Conference announced its 2025-26 Men’s Swimming & Diving All-Conference awards on Tuesday, March 31. The awards are voted on by the league's head coaches.
Meder earned First Team All-American honors in the both 1- and 3-meter diving events at the 2026 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championship, placing fourth in the 1-meter and fifth in the 3-meter competition. In addition, Meder garnered Empire 8 Diver of the Championship Meet accolades after sweeping both the 1- and 3-meter diving events. Meder rolled to victory in the 3-meter diving event on Feb. 18, finishing with a score of 601.70. Two days later, he claimed the 1-meter diving title, winning with a final score of 548.60. Meder, a native of Plainview, NY, who was an eight-time E8 Diver of the Week in 2025-26, won the 3-meter diving event at the NCAA Region 4 Championship to qualify for nationals.
Palmer earned Second Team All-American accolades in both the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events at the 2026 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championship. Last month, Palmer, a native of Fairport, NY, was named the Empire 8 Swimmer of the Championship Meet after winning individual titles in the 200-yard individual medley, 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events and was also part of the winning 200- and 400-yard medley relay teams. He shattered a 13-year-old E8 record in the 200-yard individual medley with time of 1:49.57. He also broke an E8 Championship meet record in winning the 100-yard breaststroke in a time of 54.30 seconds and won the 200-yard breaststroke, also in an E8 record time of 1:59.47. Palmer was also part of two Empire 8 Championship record-setting relay teams, the 400-yard medley relay (3:20.51) and 200-yard medley relay (1:29.85), which were also NCAA "B" cut times.
Peyser, a native of Buffalo, NY, earned Second Team All-American honors as a member of Geneseo’s 200-yard freestyle relay team at the NCAA Championships. At the Empire 8 Championships last month, Peyser was a member of the record-setting 200-yard freestyle relay team (1:19.63) and 400-yard freestyle relay team (2:59.64). Peyser was also a member of the winning 800-yard freestyle relay team at the E8 Championship and was third in the 100-yard breaststroke behind Palmer, who set a league record in the event. Peyser recorded an NCAA “B” cut time in the event (55.13 seconds). In addition, Peyser recorded podium finishes in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle.
The SUNY Geneseo coaching staff, led by head coach Paul Dotterweich, diving coach Shawn Austin, and assistant coach Noah Farmer earned Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year honors for the second straight season. The Knights made it two consecutive Empire 8 Championship titles in 2025-26, as 13 different Knights earned All-Empire 8 accolades. In addition, the Knights finished 19th at the NCAA Championships, while Meder, Palmer, Dylan Gallub, Jake Nielsen, Brian Pabisch and Peter Peyser earned All-American accolades.
To be named an E8 All-Conference selection, a student athlete must have finished in the top two of an event at the Conference's Championship Meet, which was held February 18-21 from the Webster Aquatic Center. Winners of the event are named to the First Team, while the Second Team is comprised of the runner-up from each event.
One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2025-26 Men’s Swimming and Diving Tomorrow’s Leaders Team. This team honors a student-athlete who has emerged as a leader not only on the field of play, but in the classroom and in the community. In addition, they “compete with honor and integrity” and have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportsmen.
“Developing character and integrity is a hallmark of the Empire 8,” said E8 Executive Director
Chuck Mitrano. “This series is proof that Empire 8 and our member institutions are committed to intercollegiate athletics’ important role in higher education.”
2025-26 Empire 8 Men’s Swimming & Diving Award Winners
Swimmer of the Year: Alex Palmer, Jr., SUNY Geneseo
Diver of the Year: Greg Meder, Sr., SUNY Geneseo
Rookie of the Year: Peter Peyser, Fr., SUNY Geneseo
Coaching Staff of the Year: SUNY Geneseo, led by head coach Paul Dotterweich
Empire 8 Sportsman of the Year
Calem Striker, Fr., Alfred (Hornell, NY/Hornell)
Jacob Hagen, Sr., SUNY Brockport (Gasport, NY/Royalton Hartland)
Connor Baird, Jr., SUNY Geneseo (Gansevoort, NY/Saratoga Springs)
Lane Rawls, Sr., Hartwick (Baldwinsville, NY/Hannibal)
Gianluca Antonini, Jr., Nazareth (Hilton, NY/Hilton)
2025-26 Empire 8 Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship All-Conference Selections
50-Yard Freestyle
First Team: Brian Pabisch, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :20.46
Second Team: Dylan Gallub, So., SUNY Geneseo – :20.70
100-Yard Freestyle
First Team: Brian Pabisch, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :45.59
Second Team: Dylan Gallub, So., SUNY Geneseo – :46.19
200-Yard Freestyle
First Team: Dylan Gallub, So., SUNY Geneseo – 1:41.76
Second Team: Andre Ayala, Fr., Alfred – 1:41.77
500-Yard Freestyle
First Team: Andre Ayala, Fr., Alfred – 4:36.19
Second Team: Cameron Drake, Jr., Hartwick – 4:41.49
1,650-Yard Freestyle
First Team: Andre Ayala, Fr., Alfred – 16:19.62
Second Team: Cameron Drake, Jr., Hartwick – 16:26.89
100-Yard Backstroke
First Team: Youssef amr Abdallatif, Fr., Alfred – :48.71 (Empire 8 Championship Record)
Second Team: Alex Trzaskowski, So., SUNY Geneseo – :51.37
200-Yard Backstroke
First Team: Youssef amr Abdallatif, Fr., Alfred – 1:50.29
Second Team: Edmund Wilson, So., SUNY Geneseo – 1:52.38
100-Yard Breaststroke
First Team: Alex Palmer, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :54.30 (Empire 8 Championship Record)
Second Team: Jake Nielsen, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – :55.78
200-Yard Breaststroke
First Team: Alex Palmer, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 1:59.47 (Empire 8 Championship Record)
Second Team: Carlos Gonzalez, So., Alfred – 2:03.18
100-Yard Butterfly
First Team: Jack Keene, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :49.43
Second Team: Brian Pabisch, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :49.66
200-Yard Butterfly
First Team: Connor Baird, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 1:51.04
Second Team: Jack Keene, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 1:53.11
200-Yard Individual Medley
First Team: Alex Palmer, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 1:49.57 (Empire 8 Championship Record)
Second Team: Connor Baird, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 1:50.84
400-Yard Individual Medley
First Team: Carlos Gonzalez, So., Alfred – 3:59.51
Second Team: Connor Baird, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 4:02.89
1-Meter Diving
First Team: Greg Meder, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 548.60
Second Team: Brenden Jardin-Reed, Fr., SUNY Brockport – 494.35
3-Meter Diving
First Team: Greg Meder, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 601.70
Second Team: Brenden Jardin-Reed, Fr., SUNY Brockport – 526.50
200-Yard Freestyle Relay
First Team: Brian Pabisch, Jr., Jake Nielsen, Sr., Peter Peyser, Fr., Dylan Gallub, So., SUNY Geneseo – 1:21.62
Second Team: Joe Keeney, Sr., Zander Benz, So., Garrett Nanna, Sr., Erik Parkes, So., SUNY Brockport – 1:25.79
400-Yard Freestyle Relay
First Team: Brian Pabisch, Jr., Jake Nielsen, Sr., Peter Peyser, Fr., Dylan Gallub, So., SUNY Geneseo – 3:02.33
Second Team: Youssef amr Abdallatif, Fr., Andre Ayala, Fr., Emmanuel Drappatz, Jr., Calem Striker, Fr., Alfred – 3:08.40
800-Yard Freestyle Relay
First Team: Nick Lemmo, Fr., Gannon Moore, Jr., Casey Connors, Jr., Peter Peyser, Fr., SUNY Geneseo – 6:53.74
Second Team: Andre Ayala, Fr., Calem Striker, Fr., Carlos Gonzalez, So., Youssef amr Abdallatif, Fr., Alfred – 6:54.65
200-Yard Medley Relay
First Team: Dylan Gallub, So., Alex Palmer, Jr., Brian Pabisch, Jr., Jake Nielsen, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 1:29.85 (Empire 8 Championship Record)
Second Team: Youssef amr Abdallatif, Fr., Carlos Gonzalez, So., Seif Asaad, Fr., Calem Striker, Fr., Alfred – 1:34.16
400-Yard Medley Relay
First Team: Dylan Gallub, So., Alex Palmer, Jr., Connor Baird, Jr., Jake Nielsen, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 3:20.51 (Empire 8 Championship Record)
Second Team: Youssef amr Abdallatif. Fr., Carlos Gonzalez, So., Andre Ayala, Fr., Calem Striker, Fr., Alfred – 3:25.65