Empire 8 Announces 2009 Men's Swimming and Diving All-Conference Team
March 1, 2009
ROCHESTER, NY – Sophomore Evan Wilson of Stevens Institute of Technology was unanimously named Swimmer of the Meet and junior Kameron Chambliss earned Diver of the Meet honors at the 2009 Empire 8 Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship held in conjunction with the Upper New York State Collegiate Swimming Association Championship.
Wilson won three Empire 8 titles and two state championships in leading the Ducks to a third-place conference finish and a fifth-place finish in the 16-team state meet. He automatically qualified for the NCAA Division III Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship and broke the Empire 8 championship record with his winning time of 15:45.38 in the 1,650-yard freestyle.
Wilson captured the conference and state titles in the 400-yard individual medley in an Empire 8 championship record time of 4:01.53 and provisionally qualified for nationals. He won the Empire 8 title and set a conference championship record in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:33.84.
Chambliss swept the one- and three-meter diving events. He won the one-meter board with 416.60 points and the three-meter event with 415.75 points.
Freshman Antoine Connors of Ithaca College was unanimously chosen as Empire 8 Rookie of the Meet. He provisionally qualified for the national championship by winning conference and state titles in the 50-yard freestyle (20.92 seconds) and 100-yard freestyle (45.91 seconds). Connors also swam on the Bombers’ 200-yard freestyle relay that broke the Empire 8 championship mark in 1:23.98 in capturing the conference and state titles.
Brian Striker unanimously earned his third consecutive Empire 8 Coach of the Year honor for leading Alfred to the conference and state titles.
One member of each team was named that institution’s representative on the 2009 Men’s Swimming and Diving Sportsman of the Year Team. Empire 8 emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete’s experience in conjunction with an institution’s educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportsmen.
Empire 8 2009 Honors:
Swimmer of the Meet: Evan Wilson, Stevens Institute of Technology
Diver of the Meet: Kameron Chambliss, Alfred University
Rookie of the Meet: Antoine Connors, Ithaca College
Coach of the Year: Brian Striker, Alfred University
Empire 8 2009 Men's Swimming and Diving All-Conference Release