Ithaca Seeks 10th Empire 8 Women's Swimming and Diving Title
February 17, 2009
ROCHESTER, NY – Ithaca College, which has captured each of the nine conference championships in women’s swimming and diving, will defend its title as Empire 8 teams compete in the 2009 Upper New York State Collegiate Swimming Association Swimming and Diving Championships Wednesday through Saturday at Nottingham High School in Syracuse.
Senior Lauren Botterbusch of the Bombers has won the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events the past two years, setting Empire 8 championship marks in both events in 2008, and is seeded first in the state in each event this season. She has been named Empire 8 Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Week three times this year. Sophomore Sheila Rhoades earned Rookie of the Meet and Rookie of the Year honors last season, capturing the state and conference titles in the 100-yard freestyle. First-year swimmers Kelly Murphy (1,650-yard freestyle) and Missy Keesler (200-yard backstroke) have posted top times in the conference this season.
Senior Ashley Brinkman of Hartwick College was named Diver of the Meet and Diver of the Year in 2008 after sweeping the conference titles on the one- and three-meter boards.
Junior Caitlyn Burr of Rochester Institute of Technology has won the 100-yard butterfly in the Empire 8 championship in each of her first two seasons. She is top-seeded in the state in that event as well as the 200-yard butterfly, the 200-yard individual medley, and the 500-yard freestyle, and has been named Athlete of the Week five times.
Sophomore Laura Barito of Stevens Institute of Technology, a two-time Athlete of the Week this season, has recorded the conference’s top times this year in the 50-yard freestyle and is the top seed in the state meet. Junior Gabrielle Czernik has posted the fastest conference time in the 100-yard backstroke.
Junior Erin Rappold of Nazareth College is the state’s top seed in the 1,650-yard freestyle.
Senior Brynja Seagren of Alfred University is top-seeded in the state meet in the three-meter dive and is seeded second on the one-meter board.
First-year swimmer Janet Rolf and sophomore diver Ashley Van Patten of Utica College have each earned Athlete of the Week honors this season.
Psych Sheet