GENESEO, N.Y. - The Empire 8 announced its women's outdoor track and field honors on Tuesday morning, and SUNY Geneseo won swept the major awards after winning the conference for the second-straight year. Dakota Limbert was named the Track Athlete of the Year, Mackenzie Kubat picked up Field Athlete of the Year, Greylynn Guyer earned Rookie 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 24 All-Conference honors from the championship meet.

Limbert, a native of Endicott, NY, earned First Team All-American honors in the 800-meter run at the NCAA Championships, placing seventh overall with a time of 2:09.16. She enjoyed a banner weekend at the 2026 Empire 8 Championships, finishing second in the 800-meters, while teaming up to win the 4 x 400- and 4 x 800-meter relays. On April 23, Limbert partnered with Nicole Gretzinger, Hannah Wierer and Sierra Doody to break a 23-year-old Empire 8 record in the 4 x 800-meters with a time of 9:04.39. Limbert also earned USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region honors in the 800-meters.

Kubat garnered First Team All-American honors in the heptathlon at the NCAA Championships, placing seventh overall with a score of 4,847 points. A native of Whitesboro, NY, Kubat smashed the Empire 8 Championship meet  record in the event, winning with a score of 4,800 points, which qualified her for the national meet. She also earned USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region accolades in both the long jump and 100-meter hurdles. Kubat's top leap of 5.75 meters  (18' 10.5") in the high jump led the Empire 8 and placed her inside the top 30 nationally. She also ended the season with the E8's top high jump, clearing 1.56 meters (5' 5").

Guyer earned Second Team All-American honors after finishing 13th overall at the NCAA Championships in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:36.99. A native of Sag Harbor, NY, Guyer posted the second-fastest time in Empire 8 history to win the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the league championship on May 1 with a time of 10:36.21, which also earned her USTFCCCA All-Niagara Region accolades. She also placed third in the 1,500-meters at the E8 Championships.

SUNY Geneseo head coach Chris Popovici and his staff of assistant coaches Dan Moore, Christian Johnson, Kieran Sheridan and Gwen Shepardson was named the 2026 Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year. The Knights won their second consecutive Empire 8 Outdoor Track & Field Championship. Overall, Geneseo had 20 different student-athletes earn All-Conference honors, while Kubat (Heptathlon) and Limbert (800-meters) earned First Team All-American honors. The Knights, who had 13 different student-athletes combine to earn 23 USTFCCCA Niagara accolades, shattered four E8 Outdoor Track and Field Championship records in 2026.

One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2026 Women's Outdoor 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, and Nicole Gretzinger earned that honor for Geneseo.

Full press release from the Empire 8

2026 Empire 8 All-Conference Honors
200-Meter Dash
Second Team: Lindsay Tellez, So., SUNY Geneseo – :25.17
 
400-Meter Dash
First Team: Nicole Gretzinger, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – :56.88
Second Team: Sierra Doody, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – :57.12
 
400-Meter Hurdles
First Team: Sophia Barclay, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 1:03.49
Third Team: Stella Riley, Fr., SUNY Geneseo – 1:05.14
 
800-Meter Run
First Team: Sierra Doody, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 2:10.43 (Empire 8 Championship Record)
Second Team: Dakota Limbert, So.., SUNY Geneseo – 2:10.50
Third Team: Nicole Gretzinger, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 2:11.05
 
1,500-Meter Run
First Team: Shelby Boise, Jr., SUNY Geneseo – 4:37.69 (Empire 8 Championship Record)
Third Team: Greylynn Guyer, Fr., SUNY Geneseo – 4:40.47
 
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
First Team: Greylynn Guyer, Fr., SUNY Geneseo – 10:36.21 (Empire 8 Championship Record)
Second Team: Ann Brennan, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 10:50.10
Third Team: Alexa Kosier, Fr., SUNY Geneseo – 11:04.77
 
5,000-Meter Run
First Team: Ann Brennan, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 17:35.24
Second Team: Annika Hurley, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 17:58.86
Third Team: Katie Bauman, Fr., SUNY Geneseo – 18:09.75
 
10,000-Meter Run
Third Team: Annika Hurley, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 37:08.67
 
4 x 100-Meter Relay
Second Team: Amanda Burren, Fr., Stella Riley, Fr., Lindsay Tellez, So., Kayla Anastasia, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – :49.28
 
4 x 400-Meter Relay
First Team: Stella Riley, Fr., Nicole Gretzinger, Sr., Hannah Wierer, Sr., Dakota Limbert, So., SUNY Geneseo – 3:55.71
 
4 x 800-Meter Relay
First Team: Dia Sweet, Fr., Kate Miller, Fr., Hannah Wierer, Sr., Dakota Limbert, So., SUNY Geneseo – 9:31.16

Shot Put
Third Team: Payton Mehalick, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 12.16 meters

Hammer Throw
First Team: Zoe Connor, Sr., SUNY Geneseo– 48.92 meters

Heptathlon
First Team: Mackenzie Kubat, So., SUNY Geneseo – 4,800 points (Empire 8 Championship Record)
Third Team: Chloe Abbott, So., SUNY Geneseo – 3,758 points