GENESEO, N.Y. - The Empire 8 announced its conference awards for women's swimming and diving on Tuesday, April 1, and SUNY Geneseo came home with two major awards and 34 total All-Conference honors. Alise Hale was named the Swimmer of the Year in the conference, while the coaching staff, led by head coach Paul Dotterweich, was named the Coaching Staff of the Year.

Hale earned NCAA First Team All-American honors in the 200-yard butterfly, Second Team All-American accolades in the 100-yard butterfly and was a member of Geneseo's 200-yard medley relay team that earned Second Team All-American honors. Hale was also named the Empire 8 Swimmer of the Championship Meet after winning individual titles in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly and was runner-up in the 200-yard individual medley. Hale was also part of the winning 200- and 400-yard medley relay teams and 400-yard freestyle relay team. She recorded am Empire 8 Championship record winning time of 55.18 in the 100-fly and set the all-time E8 record of 2:01.97 in winning the 200-fly. Hale was part of two Empire 8 Championship record-setting relay teams, the 200-medley relay (1:43.16) and 400-medley relay (3:47.49).

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. The Knights won the 2024-25 Empire 8 Championship in their first year as a league member. Thirteen different Knights earned All-Empire 8 accolades. In addition, the Knights finished 23rd at the NCAA Championships, while Hale, Alex Sotek, Nina Chicatelli and Emily Thomas earned All-American honors.

Additionally, Lydia Benjamin was selected as Geneseo Sportswomen of the Year honoree. "One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2024-25 Women's Swimming & Diving 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."

Women's Swim and Dive All-Conference:
FIRST TEAM:
Abby Funk – 500 Free, 200 free, 800 free relay, 1650 free
Alex Sotek – 50 Free, 400 medley relay, 200 free relay, 200 medley relay, 100 free, 400 free relay
Nina Chicatelli – 400 medley relay, 200 free relay, 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, 400 free relay
Emily Thomas – 400 medley relay, 200 medley relay, 100 breaststroke
Alise Hale – 400 medley relay, 100 butterfly, 200 medley relay, 200 butterfly
Erin Johannsen – 200 free relay, 400 free relay
Courtney Sorbello – 200 free relay, 200 medley relay, 400 free relay
Hannah Brockman – 800 free relay
Emily McCord – 800 free relay
Thalia Marquez – 800 free relay
 
SECOND TEAM:
Makayla French – 400 IM
Lydia Benjamin – 1 meter dive, 3 meter dive
Maeve Wright – 200 butterfly