ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Empire 8 Conference announced its yearly award winners on Thursday afternoon. Paten Buckwalter '28, after winning five Rookie of the Week awards during the season, took home the Empire 8's Rookie of the Year honors as the conference's top first-year player. Jordan Peiser '24 and Max Cohen '25 each were named to the All-Conference teams with Peiser being selected to the Empire 8 First Team and Cohen slotting in on the Second Team.
In his initiation to college volleyball, Buckwalter played in all 25 matches for the Soaring Eagles, helping them to a 17-8 record. Buckwalter led the Soaring Eagles in blocks (37.0) and hitting percentage (.359), ranked second on the team in sets played (79), and finished third on the team in kills (155), points (191.5), and service aces (13). He also ranked fourth in assists (21) and fifth in digs (52). Nationwide, Buckwalter finishes 30th in hitting percentage.
Among Elmira's freshmen, Buckwalter ranked first in sets, points, kills, service aces, digs, blocks, and second in assists
Buckwalter becomes the second player in program history to win Rookie of the Year honors, as Tyler Anderson '23 took home the award following the COVID shortened-season in 2020.
Peiser previously earned Empire 8 Second Team honors as a sophomore in 2022. The Great Neck, NY native led the Soaring Eagles in kills with 298. Peiser finishes his career with 1,001 total kills, good for sixth all-time in program history. His 4.72 points per set also led his team and his 45 service aces ranked second on the team.
Cohen, appearing on the Empire 8 Second Team for the second straight year, led Elmira in assists with 674. Cohen finishes his career with 2,255, good for third all-time in program history.
Cache Littrell '27 was named Elmira's recipient of the Empire 8 Sportsman of the Year. Littrell appeared in 17 sets across nine matches this season for the Purple & Gold while helping instill a welcoming culture and hard-working attitude in the program.
The full Empire 8 end-of-season awards are below:
Player of the Year: Owen Wickens, Gr., OH/L, Nazareth
Co-Libero/Defensive Player of the Year: Trace La Robardiere, Jr., L/DS, St. John Fisher
Co-Libero/Defensive Player of the Year: Thomas McNulty, Jr., L/DS, SUNY Poly
Rookie of the Year: Paten Buckwalter, Fr., MB, Elmira
Coaching Staff of the Year: Nazareth, led by Head Coach Cal Wickens
Empire 8 First Team
Jordan Peiser, Gr., OH/RS, Elmira (Great Neck, NY/Great Neck)
Andrew Bodensteiner, Sr., MB, Nazareth (Rochester, NY/Spencerport)
Owen Wickens, Gr., OH/L, Nazareth (Rochester, NY/McQuaid Jesuit)
Dylan Fox, Fr., OH, Russell Sage (Albany, NY/Colonie Central)
Griffin Stella, Gr., MB, St. John Fisher (Churchville, NY/Churchville-Chili)
Ian Rauh, Sr., MB, St. John Fisher (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park)
Empire 8 Second Team
Max Cohen, Sr., S, Elmira (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa)
Alex Bertino, Sr., OH/L, Nazareth (Rochester, NY/Spencerport)
Josh Weaver, Sr., S/RS, Nazareth (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa)
Peter Gottler, Jr., RS, SUNY Poly (Buffalo, NY/St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute)
Casey Jackson, Jr., OH, St. John Fisher (Rochester, NY/Spencerport)
Sonepith Keoviengsamay, So., OH, St. John Fisher (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy)
Empire 8 Sportsman of the Year
Cache Littrell, So., RS/DS, Elmira (Uintah, UT/Bonneville)
Thomas McGlynn, Jr., RS, Houghton (Brockville, Ontario/Ange-Gabriel)
Anthony Caimano, Sr., MB, Nazareth (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool)
Brendan Palmer, Sr., L/DS, SUNY Poly (Rush, NY/Rush-Henrietta)
Sean O'Brien, Fr., S, Russell Sage (Unionville, CT/Farmington)
Connor Holmes, So., MB, St. John Fisher (Hamburg, NY/Hamburg)
