GENESEO, N.Y. - The Empire 8 announced its conference awards for men's swimming and diving on Tuesday, April 1, and SUNY Geneseo came home with three major awards and 33 total All-Conference honors. Brian Pabisch was named the Swimmer of the Year in the conference, Trent Makowiec brought home Diver of the Year, and the coaching staff, led by head coach Paul Dotterweich, was named the Coaching Staff of the Year.

Pabisch earned  Second Team All-American honors in the 50-yard freestyle and was part of Geneseo's 200-yard freestyle relay that also garnered All-American accolades. Pabisch was named the Empire 8 Swimmer of the Championship Meet after winning individual titles in the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard freestyle and was runner-up in the 50-yard freestyle. Pabisch was also part of the winning 200-, 400- and 800-yard freestyle relay teams. He was a three-time E8 Athlete of the Week in 2024-25 and set league records in the 50-free (:20.15, breaking a 19-year-old league mark), 200-yard freestyle relay (1:20.34) and 400-free relay (3:00.96).

Makowiec was the NCAA Division III National Champion in the both 1- and 3-meter diving events to become the second Empire 8 national champion. In addition, Makowiec garnered Empire 8 Diver of the Championship Meet accolades after setting E8 Championship records in both events. He broke an 11-year-old Empire 8 Championship record previously held by All-American Matt Morrison in the 3-meter diving event on Feb. 19, finishing with a score of 614.80. Two days later, Makowiec claimed the 1-meter diving title, winning with a final score of 592.40. Makowiec shattered the overall league record in both events with a score of 605.50 in the 1-meter and 625.90 in the 3-meter.

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. Fourteen different Knights earned All-Empire 8 accolades. In addition, the Knights finished 21st at the NCAA Championships, while Makowiec, Pabisch, Dylan Gallub, Jake Nielsen and Jordan Nielsen earned All-American accolades.

Additionally, Brian Pabisch was named the Sportsman of the Year for Geneseo. "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 19-22 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."

MEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING ALL-CONFERENCE:
FIRST TEAM:
Griffin Merkling – 200 IM, 400 medley relay
Jordan Nielsen – 50 Free, 400 medley relay, 200 free relay, 800 free relay, 400 free relay
Trent Makowiec – 3 meter dive, 1 meter dive
Jake Nielsen – 400 medley relay, 200 free relay, 100 breaststroke, 400 free relay
Connor Baird – 400 medley relay, 400 IM, 200 butterfly
Brian Pabisch – 100 butterfly, 200 free relay, 800 free relay, 100 free, 400 free relay
Dylan Gallub – 200 free relay, 800 free relay, 400 free relay
Alex Trzaskowski – 100 backstroke
Casey Connors – 800 free relay
Chris Varrichio – 200 backstroke
Alex Palmer – 200 breaststroke
 
SECOND TEAM:
Colin Babbitt – 500 Free, 1650 free
Greg Meder – 3 meter dive, 1 meter dive
Jack Keene – 100 butterfly