GENESEO, N.Y. - The Empire 8 announced its women's cross country All-Conference awards on Tuesday, Dec. 2, and SUNY Geneseo swept all three major honors. Ann Brennan brought home Runner of the Year honors, Kaitlyn Hotaling was named Rookie of the Year, and the coaching staff, led by head coach Dan Moore, won Coaching Staff of the Year. Additionally, the Knights earned 11 All-Conference honors and Sierra Doody was named to the Tomorrow's Leaders team for Geneseo.

Brennan wrapped up a tremendous 2025 season, she won both the individual title at the Empire 8 Championship and annexed the Niagara Region Championship in a time of 21:38.2. Brennan, who also earned runner-up honors at the University of Rochester Yellowjacket Invitational, broke 22 minutes in a race four times in 2025 and recorded a personal-best time of 21:24.1 over 6,000-meters at the Connecticut College Invitational on Oct. 8. Brennan was a five-time E8 Runner of the Week and placed 83rd overall at the NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championships.

Hotaling enjoyed an excellent season for the Knights, earning NCAA All-Region honors after placing 19th at the Niagara Region Championship in a time of 22:32.6 on Nov. 15. She also represented the Knights and placed 125th overall at the 2025 NCAA Division III Championships. She began her collegiate career by finishing third overall at Terry Rodenbeck Invitational at St. John Fisher and was tenth overall at the University of Rochester Yellowjacket Invitational. Hotaling ran under 23 minutes for 6,000-meters five times, including a season-best time of 22:07.5 at the Paul Short Run on Oct. 3.

The Knights coaching staff, led by head coach Dan Moore and assistant coaches Chris Popovici and Kieran Sheridan were honored as the 2025 Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year for the second straight season. Moore and Popovici led Geneseo to its second straight Empire 8 Championship on Nov. 1. In addition, the Knights were second as a team at the Niagara Region Champions and 22nd at the 2025 NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championships. Moore mentored 11 all-league selections and seven All-Region honorees, including Brennan, who was the E8 and Atlantic Region individual champion.

The Empire 8 first, second and third team all-conference selections were determined at the championship meet on Nov. 1 from St. John Fisher University's Murphy Field Cross Country Course. Ann Brennan, Sierra Doody, Annika Hurley, Jillian O'Rourke, and Ari Reback were First-Team selections. Katie Bauman, Annabelle Czekanski, Ella Grinnell, Greylynn Guyer, and Alexa Kosier picked up Second-Team honors, while Lily Benza rounded out the awards on Third-Team.

One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2025 Women's Cross Country 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 sportswomen, and Doody earned that honor for the Knights.

Full press release from the Empire 8