St. John Fisher University will look for their third-straight Empire 8 Championship, as the 2026 E8 women's volleyball season gets underway on Sep. 1. Regular season league play will begin with one match on Sep. 30 and the rest of conference action starting on Oct. 2.
The top eight teams will advance to the E8 Championship Tournament, which will take place with first round action taking place on Saturday, Nov. 7. Semifinal action wil take place on Wednesday, Nov. 11 and the championship match will commence Saturday, Nov. 14, with all matches played at the higher seed. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship.
ALFRED UNIVERSITY - Head Coach Mike Honeycutt
Cara Bratthauar, Sr., MB, Chambersburg, PA/Chambersburg - Bratthauar had a great junior season for the Saxons. She had 117 kills on the season and averaged 1.16 kills per set. She added a team-high .221 hitting percentage and 60 total blocks.
Carleigh Santavy, Sr., OPP, Commerce, MI/Walled Lake Northern - Santavy, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, was a 2025 third team All-Empire 8 selection. In 2024, she was a first team All-Conference pick. Last season she was second on the team in total kills with 301 and averaged 2.87 kills per set.
SUNY BROCKPORT - Head Coach Jim Clar
Madisen Jones, So., OH, Elmira, NY/Elmira - In her debut season for the Golden Eagles, Jones had an impressive season. She was a 2025 E8 second team All-Conference selection. She totaled 194 kills on the outside and averaged 2.66 kills per set. She hit a .251 percenth and added 13 service aces, 63 digs and 22 total blocks.
Elsie Logan, Sr., L, Tonawanda Seneca Nation Territory, NY/Akron - Logan, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, was named the 2024 E8 Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year as well as given a first team All-Conference nod. She was also an AVCA honorable mention All-Region selection in 2024.
ELMIRA COLLEGE - Head Coach Eddie Daoreuang
Aimee Bridges, So., M, Montebello, NY/Suffern - Bridges totaled 136 kills during the 2025 season, averaging 1.4 per set. She added 26 service aces and 36 blocks during her debut season.
Vicki Titus, Jr., L/DS, Chateaugay, NY/Chateaugay - Titus is expected to be a defensive leader for the Soaring Eagles this season. In 2025, she totaled 163 digs averaging 1.68 per set. She added 16 assists and 31 service aces on the season.
SUNY GENESEO - Head Coach Kate Isaksen
Kate Barba, Jr., OH, Huntington, NY/Huntington - Barba, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, was a 2024 Empire 8 third team and 2025 first team All-Conference member. Last season Barba had 241 total kills averaging 2.87 kills per set. She hit a .207 percent on the season and added 47 service aces and 172 digs.
Zooey Gagnier, Sr., L, Penfield, NY/Penfield - Gagnier is also a two-time E8 Player to Watch for the Knights. She is also a two-time E8 third team All-Conference member at the libero/defensive specialist position. In 2025 she was fourth in the conference in digs per set with 4.29. She totaled 430 digs on the season and added 111 assists.
HARTWICK COLLEGE - Head Coach Joshua Bigford
Sophia Palladino, Sr., OH, Owego, NY/Owego Free Academy - On the outside, Palladino totaled 221 kills on the season averaging 1.84 per set. She held a .135 hitting percentage and added 38 service aces with 268 digs.
Lucille Walker, Jr., MH, Ithaca, NY/Ithaca - Walker was a 2025 second team All-Conference selection. She totaled 304 kills on the season, averaging 2.43 per set. She held a .248 hitting percentage and added 31 digs and 71 blocks.
HOUGHTON UNIVERSITY - Head Coach Danielle Heffernan
Alexa Belanger, Jr., OH/MB, Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake - Belanger, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, was a 2025 first team All-Conference selection. She was the offensive leader for the Highlanders in 2025. She had 295 total kills and averaged 3.24 per set. She also led the way defensively with 291 digs.
Praylan Perkins, Jr., OH/RS, Oswayo, PA/Oswayo Valley - Perkins was a top offensive contributor for the Highlanders in 2025, totaling 126 kills, averaging 1.48 kills per set. She added 236 digs and 15 blocks on the season.
KEUKA COLLEGE - Head Coach Rachel Fiser
Gabby Rodriguez, Jr., L/DS, Floresville, TX/Floresville - Rodriguez is a two-time E8 Player to Watch. She led the team in total digs with 405 and averaged 4.6 per seet, which was third in the conference. She added 50 assists and 26 service aces on the season.
Nina Scott, Sr., OH, Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima - Scott is also a two-time E8 Player to Watch. In 2025, she led the team with 236 total kills and averaged 2.88 per set. She added 32 blocks and 155 digs.
NAZARETH UNIVERSITY - Head Coach Tara Jehlen
Leah Fusilli, Gr., OH, Penfield, NY/Penfield - Fusilli, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, led the Golden Flyers with 215 kills and 31 service aces in 2025. She was an E8 third team All-Conference selection and sat with the top-20 players in the league for kills (2.48), digs (2.72) and points (2.94) per set.
Alana Lucey, Jr., MB, Fairport, NY/Fairport - Lucey made her mark in her 2025 season for the Golden Flyers. She started 24 matched and was second on the team with 128 kills and 52 blocks. She ranked sixth in the E8 with 0.69 blocks.
SUNY POLY - Head Coach Daniel Short
Daniella Aluisio, Jr., RS/DS, Wallkill, NY/Wallkill - Aluisio, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, led the offense for the Wildcats in 2025. She led the team in total kills (238) and hitting percentage (.184). She added 36 services aces, 189 digs and 22 total blocks on the season.
Grace Southwick, Sr., S, Tupper Lake, NY/Clifton-Fine - Southwick was a leader for the Wildcats in 2025. She ranked fifth in the conference with 6.78 assists per set, totaling 502 on the season. She led the way in service aces on the team with 44 and added 104 digs.
RUSSELL SAGE COLLEGE - Head Coach Rosilyn Cummings
Emma Curry, So., L/DS, Goodyear, AZ/Estrella Foothills - In her debut season for the Gators, Curry earned third team All-Conference accolades for her defensive prowess. She was second on the conference in digs per set with 4.64. She totaled 455 on the season. She added 33 assists and 67 service aces.
Cassidy Weiher, Sr., S, Aurora, CO/Cherokee Trail/Southern Maine - Weiher averaged 3.28 assists per set on the season, putting her second on the team in 2025. She totaled 321 assists and slammed 106 kills. She added 30 total blocks, 128 digs and 26 service aces.
ST. JOHN FISHER UNIVERSITY - Head Coach Kelly Greapentrog
Ana Gutman, Sr., MB, Rochester, NY/Penfield - Gutman, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, was a two-time E8 first team All-Conference member in 2023 and 2024. In 2025 she earned second team honors. She was a 2024 AVCA first team All-Region member and an AVCA honorable mention All-American. This past season she earned AVA honorable mention All-Region.
Kaylene Noble, Sr., OH, Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius - Noble, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, was the 2023 Empire 8 Player and Rookie of the Year. In 2025 she earned first team All-Conference honors as well as AVCA first team All-Region and AVCA honorable mention All-American accolades. She led the league in kills per set with 4.09 totaling 401 on the season.
UTICA UNIVERSITY - Head Coach Josh Higby
Trinity Bailey, Sr., OH, West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham - Bailey, a two-time E8 Player to Watch, was a third team All-Conference selection last season. She led the team in total kills with 320. She averaged 3.02 kills per set and held a .167 hitting percentage.
Megan Wright, Sr., L/DS, Clay Center, KS/Clay Center Community - Wright is also a two-time E8 Player to Watch. In 2025 she was a third team All-Conference selection. She led the Pioneers and the Empire 8 in digs per set with 5.61. She totaled 585 digs and added 100 assists on the season.
2025 Empire 8 Women's Volleyball Final Standings
St. John Fisher (30-2, 11-0 E8) - League Champions
Hartwick (23-11, 10-1 E8)
Brockport (17-9, 9-2 E8)
Geneseo (15-12, 7-4 E8)
Houghton (13-12, 7-4 E8)
Russell Sage (11-14, 6-5 E8)
Utica (13-17, 5-6 E8)
Alfred (12-18, 4-7 E8)
Nazareth (3-23, 3-8 E8)
Poly (8-17, 2-9 E8)
Elmira (3-25, 1-10 E8)
Keuka (2-24, 1-10 E8)
2025 Empire 8 Women's Volleyball Championship Tournament Recap
First Round
No. 1 St. John Fisher defeats No. 8 Alfred – 3-0 (25-13, 25-15, 25-18) – BOX SCORE
No. 2 Hartwick defeats No. 7 Utica – 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-15) – BOX SCORE
No. 3 SUNY Brockport defeats No. 6 Russell Sage – 3-0 (26-24, 25-15, 25-15) – BOX SCORE
No. 4 SUNY Geneseo defeats No. 5 Houghton – 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-7) – BOX SCORE
Semifinals
No. 1 St. John Fisher defeated No. 4 SUNY Geneseo, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-17) – BOX SCORE
No. 2 Hartwick defeated No. 3 SUNY Brockport, 3-2 (22-25, 18-25, 25-21, 25-19, 15-6) – BOX SCORE
Championship
No. 1 St. John Fisher defeated No. 3 Hartwick, 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-18) – BOX SCORE
2025 Empire 8 Women's Volleyball Tournament Most Valuable Player
Kaylene Noble, Jr., OH, St. John Fisher
2026 Empire 8 Women's Volleyball Returning All-Region, All-American and Major Award Winners
- Kalyna Dannenberg, St. John Fisher, So. OH, Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius - 2025 AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, 2025 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, 2025 AVCA First Team All-Region
- Lydia Fraser, St. John Fisher, Jr., OH, Plymouth, MI/Father Gabriel Richard - 2024 AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, 2024 AVCA First Team All-Region, 2024 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year
- Ana Gutman, St. John Fisher, Sr., MB, Rochester, NY/Penfield - 2025 AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region, 2024 AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, 2024 AVCA First Team All-Region, 2024 Empire 8 Tournament Most Valuable Player, 2023 AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region
- Elsie Logan, SUNY Brockport, Sr., L/DS, Tonawanda Seneca Nation Territory, NY/Akron - 2024 AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region, 2024 Empire 8 Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year
- Kaylene Noble, St. John Fisher, Sr., OH, Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius - 2025 AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, 2025 AVCA First Team All-Region, 2025 Empire 8 Tournament Most Valuable Player, 2024 AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region, 2023 AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, 2023 AVCA First Team All-Region, 2023 Empire 8 Player of the Year, 2023 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year