Prescott, Robey, Woltz and Nazareth Staff Earn Women's Swimming & Diving Honors
The Empire 8 Athletic Conference has announced the Swimmer, Diver, Rookie and Coaching Staff of the Year awards for the 2017-18 women’s swimming and diving season as voted on by the conference coaches.
SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: Katie Prescott, Stevens Institute of Technology
Katie Prescott is the sixth Duck swimmer to be named the Swimmer of the Year since Stevens joined the conference in 2007-08.
Prescott, named Swimmer of the Meet at the Empire 8 Conference Championships, posted an NCAA qualifying time of 2:20.13 in the 200 breaststroke, which also marked a new personal best. The senior topped the field by over five seconds in winning her second individual race of the E8 Championship. Prescott also set a new personal-best time of 1:05.70 as she won the 100 breaststroke and a swam season-best time of 4:38.34 in the 400 IM to place third at the E8s.
Prescott was also part of the winning 400-yard medley relay (3:57.80) and the third place 200-yard medley relay (1:49.50) .
At the 2018 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championship she finished 24th in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:22.14 and placed 32nd in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.31).
DIVER OF THE YEAR: Taylor Woltz, Nazareth College
Taylor Woltz becomes the second Nazareth diver to earn the yearly award, as Lindsey Buzard took the top honor in 2009-10.
Woltz was named Empire 8 Women's Diver of the Meet at the Empire 8 Championship after she swept both the one-meter and three-meter events, scoring 421.55 in the 1-meter and 461.05 on the 3-meter springboard.
At the Regional diving meet she finished 15th among 26 divers in the women's 3-meter event with a score of 388.60 on 11 dives. Woltz finished 17th out of 27 competitors in the 1-meter with 360.50 points for 11 dives.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Taylor Robey, Nazareth College
Taylor Robey is the second Nazareth athlete to be named Rookie of the Year. The previous Golden Flyer recipient was Emily Lesher in 2004-05.
At the Empire 8 Championship, Robey was awarded the Rookie of the Meet, after winning two individual events and one relay. She also anchored two second place relays and was part of a third-place relay.
Individually at the E8 Championship, Robey won the 50-yard freestyle (24.10), narrowly missed a B-cut NCAA qualifying time as she won the 100-free (51.86) and placed fifth in the 200 freestyle (1:59.25).
Robey was part of the 200 medley relay that rallied to win in 1:49.26 thanks to her anchor leg split of 23.69. She was part of both the second-place 200 free relay (1:38.57) and the 400 medley relay (3:59.36) and closed out the championship meet with a third-place finish in the 400 free relay (3:41.52).
COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR: Nazareth College
Nazareth’s head coach Scott Whitbeck and his staff guided the Golden Flyers to a first place finish at the Empire 8 Championship for the first time in program history. Nazareth overcame a 28-point first-day deficit to outpoint the runner-up 838-810 to take the E8 title.
At the Empire 8 Championship, the Nazareth women earned 10 all conference honors including four first team individual honorees and three second team individual honorees. The women finished first in one relay and second in two others.