GENESEO, N.Y. - The Empire 8 announced its women's indoor track and field honors on Tuesday morning, and SUNY Geneseo won three of the four major awards after winning the conference for the second-straight year. Sierra Doody was named the Track Athlete of the Year, Jillian Ambler picked up Field Athlete of the Year, and the coaching staff, led by head coach Chris Popovici, was named the Coaching Staff of the Year. The Knights also earned 25 All-Conference honors from the championship meet.

Doody, a native of Webster, NY, earned NCAA Championship runner-up honors in the 800-meters at on March 14 with a time of 2:09.01. She was also part of the 4 x 400-meter relay team that earned NCAA Second Team All-American honors by placing 11th at nationals. Doody, who holds the Empire 8 record in the 800-meters (2:08.82), won the league championship in the event in addition to an Empire 8 title in the 4 x 400-meter relay, both for the second straight season. She also earned USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region honors in the 800-meters and mile in addition to the 4 x 400-meter relay.

Ambler, a native of Fairport, NY, enjoyed an incredible season, placing second in the long jump at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 13 and fourth in the 60-meter hurdles the following day to earn First Team All-American honors in both events. Ambler was also part of the 4 x 200- and 4 x 400-meter relay teams at the All-Atlantic Region Championships. Ambler was named the Empire 8 Indoor Championship Field Athlete of the Meet, setting a league record with the sixth-best long jump in Division III history at 6.11 meters. She also won the 60-meter hurdles, 200-meter run and 4 x 400-meter relay at the E8 Championship. Ambler earned USTFCCCA All-Region honors in five events, the 60-meters, 60-meter hurdles, 200-meters, 4 x 400-meter relay, and long jump. Ambler holds the Empire 8 record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.49 seconds and 4 x 200-meter relay (1:42.59) in addition to the long jump mark.

Head coach Chris Popovici and his staff of assistant coaches Dan Moore, Christian Johnson, Kieran Sheridan and Gwen Shepardson was named the 2025-26 Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year for the second straight season. The Knights won their second straight Empire 8 Indoor Track & Field Championship and placed seventh at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. Overall, Geneseo had 18 different student-athletes earn All-Conference honors, while Ambler, Doody, and Lauren Jaklitsch earned First Team All-American honors. The Knights, who had 16 different student-athletes combine to earn 31 USTFCCCA All-Region accolades, shattered five E8 Indoor Track and Field Championship records and five overall league marks in 2025-26.

The Empire 8 first, second and third team all-conference selections were determined at the championship meet on Feb. 27-28 from the Golisano Training Center, hosted by Nazareth University.
 
One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2025-26 Women's Indoor Track and Field 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.

2025-26 SUNY Geneseo Women's Indoor Track and Field All-Conference Selections
 
60-Meter Hurdles
First Team: Jillian Ambler, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :8.49 (Championship and Empire 8 Conference Record)
 
200-Meter Dash
First Team: Jillian Ambler, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :25.01
 
400-Meter Dash
First Team: Brynn Mooney, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – :57.66
Second Team: Stella Riley, Fr., SUNY Geneseo – :58.77
Third Team: Nicole Gretzinger, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 58.93
 
800-Meter Run
First Team: Sierra Doody, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 2:11.67 Championship Record)
Second Team: Nicole Gretzinger, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 2:14.45
Third Team: Dakota Limbert, So., SUNY Geneseo – 2:16.10
 
Mile
Second Team: Shelby Boise, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 5:04.94
Third Team: Alexa Kosier, Fr., SUNY Geneseo – 5:05.12
 
3,000-Meter Run
First Team: Ari Reback, So., SUNY Geneseo – 9:50.52 (Championship Record)
Second Team: Ann Brennan, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 10:14.85
Third Team: Annika Hurley, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 10:20.07
 
5,000-Meter Run
First Team: Ari Reback, So., SUNY Geneseo – 17:14.41
Second Team: Ann Brennan, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 17:49.18
Third Team: Annika Hurley, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 18:08.64
 
4 x 400-Meter Relay
First Team: Jillian Ambler, Jr., Nicole Gretzinger, Sr., Sierra Doody, Sr., Brynn Mooney, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 3:49.99 (Championship Record)
 
Distance Medley Relay
First Team: Hannah Wierer, Jr., Gigi Ferro, Jr., Dakota Limbert, So., Shelby Boise, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 12:23.22
 
High Jump
Third Team: Elaina Flatz, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 1.56 meters
 
Long Jump
First Team: Jillian Ambler, So., SUNY Geneseo – 6.11 meters (Championship and Empire 8 All-Time Record)
 
Triple Jump
First Team: Marisa Mazzacco, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 11.40 meters
 
Weight Throw
First Team: Lauren Jaklitsch, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 18.21 meters
 
Pentathlon
First Team: Mackenzie Kubat, So., SUNY Geneseo – 3,634 points
Third Team: Chloe Abbott, Fr., SUNY Geneseo – 2,951 points

Empire 8 Tomorrow's Leaders Team
Lauren Jaklitsch, Sr., SUNY Geneseo (Mt. Sinai, NY/Mt. Sinai)