GENESEO, N.Y. - The Empire 8 announced its men's swimming and diving All-Conference honors on Tuesday, March 31, and SUNY Geneseo went on to sweep the major awards, while earning 24 additional All-Conference honors. Alex Palmer was named the Men's Swimmer of the Year, Greg Meder the Diver of the Year, Peter Peyser the Rookie of the Year, and the coaching staff, led by head coach Paul Dotterweich, the Coaching Staff of the Year.

Palmer earned Second Team All-American accolades in both the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events at the 2026 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championship. Last month, Palmer, a native of Fairport, NY, was named the Empire 8 Swimmer of the Championship Meet after winning individual titles in the 200-yard individual medley, 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events and was also part of the winning 200- and 400-yard medley relay teams. He shattered a 13-year-old E8 record in the 200-yard individual medley with time of 1:49.57. He also broke an E8 Championship meet record in winning the 100-yard breaststroke in a time of 54.30 seconds and won the 200-yard breaststroke, also in an E8 record time of 1:59.47. Palmer was also part of two Empire 8 Championship record-setting relay teams, the 400-yard medley relay (3:20.51) and 200-yard medley relay (1:29.85), which were also NCAA "B" cut times. 

Meder earned First Team All-American honors in the both 1- and 3-meter diving events at the 2026 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championship, placing fourth in the 1-meter and fifth in the 3-meter competition. In addition, Meder garnered Empire 8 Diver of the Championship Meet accolades after sweeping both the 1- and 3-meter diving events. Meder rolled to victory in the 3-meter diving event on Feb. 18, finishing with a score of 601.70. Two days later, he claimed the 1-meter diving title, winning with a final score of 548.60. Meder, a native of Plainview, NY, who was an eight-time E8 Diver of the Week in 2025-26, won the 3-meter diving event at the NCAA Region 4 Championship to qualify for nationals.
 
Peyser, a native of Buffalo, NY, earned Second Team All-American honors as a member of Geneseo's 200-yard freestyle relay team at the NCAA Championships. At the Empire 8 Championships last month, Peyser was a member of the record-setting 200-yard freestyle relay team (1:19.63) and 400-yard freestyle relay team (2:59.64). Peyser was also a member of the winning 800-yard freestyle relay team at the E8 Championship and was third in the 100-yard breaststroke behind Palmer, who set a league record in the event. Peyser recorded an NCAA "B" cut time in the event (55.13 seconds). In addition, Peyser recorded podium finishes in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle.

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 for the second straight season. The Knights made it two consecutive Empire 8 Championship titles in 2025-26, as 13 different Knights earned All-Empire 8 accolades. In addition, the Knights finished 19th at the NCAA Championships, while Meder, Palmer, Dylan Gallub, Jake Nielsen, Brian Pabisch and Peter Peyser earned All-American accolades.
 
2025-26 SUNY Geneseo Men's Swimming & Diving All-Conference Selections
50-Yard Freestyle
First Team: Brian Pabisch, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :20.46
Second Team: Dylan Gallub, So., SUNY Geneseo – :20.70
 
100-Yard Freestyle
First Team: Brian Pabisch, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :45.59
Second Team: Dylan Gallub, So., SUNY Geneseo – :46.19
 
200-Yard Freestyle
First Team: Dylan Gallub, So., SUNY Geneseo – 1:41.76
 
100-Yard Backstroke
Second Team: Alex Trzaskowski, So., SUNY Geneseo – :51.37
 
200-Yard Backstroke
Second Team: Edmund Wilson, So., SUNY Geneseo – 1:52.38
 
100-Yard Breaststroke
First Team: Alex Palmer, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :54.30 (Empire 8 Championship Record)
Second Team: Jake Nielsen, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – :55.78
 
200-Yard Breaststroke
First Team: Alex Palmer, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 1:59.47 (Empire 8 Championship Record)
 
100-Yard Butterfly
First Team: Jack Keene, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :49.43
Second Team: Brian Pabisch, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – :49.66
 
200-Yard Butterfly
First Team: Connor Baird, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 1:51.04
Second Team: Jack Keene, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 1:53.11
 
200-Yard Individual Medley
First Team: Alex Palmer, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 1:49.57 (Empire 8 Championship Record)
Second Team: Connor Baird, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 1:50.84
 
400-Yard Individual Medley
Second Team: Connor Baird, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 4:02.89
 
1-Meter Diving
First Team: Greg Meder, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 548.60
 
3-Meter Diving
First Team: Greg Meder, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 601.70
 
200-Yard Freestyle Relay
First Team: Brian Pabisch, Jr., Jake Nielsen, Sr., Peter Peyser, Fr., Dylan Gallub, So., SUNY Geneseo – 1:21.62
 
400-Yard Freestyle Relay
First Team: Brian Pabisch, Jr., Jake Nielsen, Sr., Peter Peyser, Fr., Dylan Gallub, So., SUNY Geneseo – 3:02.33
 
800-Yard Freestyle Relay
First Team: Nick Lemmo, Fr., Gannon Moore, Jr., Casey Connors, Jr., Peter Peyser, Fr., SUNY Geneseo – 6:53.74
 
200-Yard Medley Relay
First Team: Dylan Gallub, So., Alex Palmer, Jr., Brian Pabisch, Jr., Jake Nielsen, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 1:29.85 (Empire 8 Championship Record)
 
400-Yard Medley Relay
First Team: Dylan Gallub, So., Alex Palmer, Jr., Connor Baird, Jr., Jake Nielsen, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 3:20.51 (Empire 8 Championship Record)
Second Team: Youssef amr Abdallatif. Fr., Carlos Gonzalez, So., Andre Ayala, Fr., Calem Striker, Fr., Alfred – 3:25.65

One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2025-26 Men's Swimming and Diving 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 sportsmen.
Empire 8 Sportsman of the Year
Connor Baird, Jr., SUNY Geneseo (Gansevoort, NY/Saratoga Springs)

Full press release from the Empire 8