Sophomore forward Tyson Empey (pictured above) moves in on goal for a scoring opportunity against Buffalo State on November 3. The Knights won by a score of 5-2 (Annalee Bainnson/ outgoing photo editor).
The Geneseo Knights saw another impressive winter season. All seven winter teams advanced to the SUNYAC Tournament, with six earning a SUNYAC Title and making appearances in the NCAA Tournament. With these successes, Geneseo is set to win its fourth consecutive SUNYAC Commissioner’s Cup, the fifth in program history.
The Ice Knights had a tremendously successful season as they earned their fifth SUNYAC Title, marking their second championship in three years and fifth in program history. Their triumphant season earned them their sixth appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
They beat Hobart College 4-2 at Hobart’s rink in the first round, but despite their hard work, the Ice Knights fell to Colby College 2-1 in the second round. With the team only losing two seniors, they will likely come back strong for the 2018-19 season.
After attending its sixth consecutive SUNYAC Championship, the women’s basketball team walked away with a win. The team’s 58-52 victory over SUNY Oneonta earned the Knights their sixth SUNYAC Title in program history. The women’s perfect 18-0 conference record allowed them to host the tournament as the no.1 seed for the second year in a row.
Despite the team’s perfect conference record, they fell to Ithaca College in the first round of the NCAA DIII Tournament. The women look to accomplish even more next year, as a majority of the team is expected to return next season.
The men’s basketball team also earned its sixth consecutive SUNYAC Tournament appearance, but they fell short to SUNY Oswego in the quarterfinals. While the men experienced less success than their female counterparts, they hope to come back stronger next year. As they only have three graduating seniors, the Knights will start the 2018 season with a solid foundation.
The indoor track and field teams added on yet another SUNYAC title. Both sides earned their second consecutive championship and ninth in program history. At the Atlantic Region Indoor Track and Field Championships, the women placed first and the men tied for second.
After experiencing regional success, several athletes headed to the NCAA Championships. Multiple Knights earned All-American Titles, and the men’s distance medley relay, consisting of juniors Luke Holtzman, Zachery Hannahoe, Gillan Faulkner and senior Isaac-Garcia Cassani, took home the national title. Overall, the Knights proved successful at the NCAA DIII Championship, with the women finishing tied for number 14 and the men tied for number nine.
Geneseo’s Blue Wave performance was noteworthy as they continued their SUNYAC Title streak. Despite their lack of a pool, the men took their fifth consecutive conference title, while the women earned their 11th.
Head coach Paul Dotterweich guided the Blue Wave to a combined 32 SUNYAC Titles, 17 for the men and 15 for the women, an impressive feat for any coach. The Blue Wave sent 12 athletes to the NCAA Championships, where senior diver Sam Randall took first place for the one-meter dive.
The Geneseo athletic program aims to come back for an even more successful winter season next year, as they have a strong core to continue using