ROCHESTER, NY – Senior Sheila Rhoades of conference and state champion Ithaca College was named Swimmer of the Meet for the second consecutive year and junior teammate Jodi Costello was selected as Diver of the Meet at the 2011 Empire 8 Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship held in conjunction with the Upper New York State Collegiate Swimming Association meet hosted by Nazareth College.
Rhoades automatically qualified for the NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships and broke her own championship record in winning the 50-yard freestyle in 23.29 seconds. She provisionally qualified for the national meet and set another championship mark in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:51.80.
Costello won the Empire 8 and state championships on the three-meter board with a score of 435.15. She provisionally qualified for the national championship, meeting the “B” standard for 11 dives.
Louise Moores of runner-up Stevens Institute of Technology was chosen as Empire 8 Rookie of the Year. She provisionally qualified for the NCAA meet in winning the 100-yard backstroke in 56.95 seconds and finished first in the 100-yard butterfly in 56.97 seconds. Moores swam on four winning relays, three of which set Empire 8 championship records.
Paula Miller of Ithaca was named Coach of the Year for leading the Bombers to their 12th consecutive Empire 8 crown, fourth consecutive state title, and 24th state title overall. The award is her fourth straight and sixth in the past nine years.
One member of each team was named that institution’s representative on the 2011 Women’s Swimming and Diving Sportswoman 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 sportswomen.
Empire 8 2011 Honors:
Swimmer of the Meet: Sheila Rhoades, Ithaca College
Diver of the Meet: Jodi Costello, Ithaca College
Rookie of the Meet: Louise Moores, Stevens Institute of Technology
Coach of the Year: Paula Miller, Ithaca College
Women's Swimming and Diving All-Conference Release