Women's Swimming and Diving | 2/12/2020 5:22:34 PM
Alfred University, Hartwick College, Nazareth College and Utica will compete at the 2020 Empire 8 Championships from Wednesday, February 19 to Saturday, February 22 from the Webster Aquatic Center in Webster, NY. Preliminary action begins each day at 10 a.m. with the finals taking place at 5:30 p.m. Nazareth is looking for its third straight Empire 8 Championship.
In conjunction, the four Empire 8 institutions will join forces with Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference programs Penn St. Behrend, Alfred State College, Pitt-Bradford, Penn St. Altoona, Franciscan University and SUNY Delhi for the inaugural Allegheny Empire Championships. At the conclusion of the meet, an Allegheny Empire Women’s and Men’s Champion will be crowned as well as a Male and Female Swimmer and Diver of the Meet. The top three finishers in each event will also be recognized.
Live video and results will be available throughout the four-day event. For more on this year's championship - including daily video links, heat sheets, results, and updated information - please head to the
Championship Central page.
2020 Empire 8 Team Capsules (Order Based on 2019 Championship Finish)
Nazareth, the two-time defending Empire 8 Champion has won five dual meets in 2019-20. Junior Taylor Robey and sophomore Allie Norwood are the reigning Empire 8 Swimmer and Diver of the Year, respectively. Robey won all three sprint freestyle events at the 2019 championship and is a two-time Empire 8 Athlete of the Week in 2019-20. Erin Spina has the fastest current time among all E8 student-athletes in the 500-yard freestyle, while Paige Pasquarella, Caroline Dennis, Darby McNamara and Abby Elman will also vie for top spots in freestyle events. First-year standout Abigail Santos, an Empire 8 Athlete of the Week, holds the current fastest time in the 50-yard breaststroke, 50- and 100-yard butterfly and 100- and 200-yard individual medley. Kathryn Batz, Kaela Santos, Rebecca Skelley and Isabelle Gray are standouts in the backstroke, while Molly Schoemick and Gabrielle Shuron will also contribute. Norwood won both the 1- and 3-meter diving events in decisive fashion last season. She will receive strong challenges from teammates Taylor Woltz and Hannah Meli.
Hartwick is looking for its first Empire 8 title after winning eight dual meets during the 2019-20 regular season. The Hawks have a host of swimmers who can lead them to a team title, including senior sprinter Olivia Bart, a three-time Empire 8 Athlete of the Week in 2019-20, who has the fastest time in the 50-yard freestyle this season. She is also a two-time defending champion in the 200-yard freestyle relay and was part of the winning 400-yard freestyle relay last year. Gina Grauer, the 2019 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, has the fastest times among all E8 student-athletes this season in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke. Tori Argentieri, 2019-20 E8 Athlete of the Week, will look to defend her league titles in both the 100- and 200-yatd butterfly. The Hawks also boast Abby Schwartz, who has the top time in the 1,000-yard freestyle and is an E8 Athlete of the Week. Channing Lewis, Abby Miller and Schwartz are strong distance freestyle swimmers, while Cecelia Mowrey, along with Grauer and Argentieri can excel in the individual medley.
Alfred enters the 2020 Empire 8 Championship looking to improve off of last season’s fourth place finish. Junior Lauren Serotta is a three-time E8 Athlete of the Week in 2019-20 and will look to earn repeat titles in both the 100- and 200-yard backstroke events. She enters the championship as the fastest E8 student-athlete in all three backstroke events. Ivy Vallely is a strong swimmer in the freestyle distance and breaststroke events, while Amanda Guariglia, and Alexis DeLuca excel in the breaststroke. Serotta and Cassidy Jeche will also look to score in the butterfly events, while Gina Artieri and Caitlin Behr can excel in a handful of different events. Diver Courtney Sisson will attempt to continue in the long line of success for Alfred at that position.
Utica is looking to improve off a fifth-place finish in last year’s championship. The Pioneers won six dual matches during the regular season. Katie Delgado, along with Kate Anderson will look to lead the Pioneers in the sprint events, while Daniela Hannah is Utica’s top distance swimmer. Anderson and Delgado, along with Kelly Waryncia, will look to earn points in the backstroke events. Hannah and Rebecca Merrill are also standouts in the individual medley and butterfly.
Current 2019-20 Empire 8 Top Times
50-yard freestyle – Olivia Bart, Hartwick – :24.08
100-yard freestyle – Taylor Robey, Nazareth – :51.65
200-yard freestyle – Taylor Robey, Nazareth – 1:57.62
500-yard freestyle – Erin Spina, Nazareth – 5:19.32
1,000-yard freestyle – Abby Schwartz, Hartwick – 11:08.37
1,650-yard freestyle – Channing Lewis, Hartwick – 18:19.16
50-yard backstroke – Lauren Serotta, Alfred – :27.79
100-yard backstroke – Lauren Serotta, Alfred – :59.53
200-yard backstroke – Lauren Serotta, Alfred – 2:12.62
50-yard breaststroke – Abigail Santos, Nazareth – :31.95
100-yard breaststroke – Gina Grauer, Hartwick – 1:07.72
200-yard breaststroke – Gina Grauer, Hartwick – 2:28.83
50-yard butterfly – Abigail Santos, Nazareth – :26.87
100-yard butterfly – Abigail Santos, Nazareth – :57.89
200-yard butterfly – Tori Argentieri, Hartwick – 2:12.62
100-yard individual medley – Abigail Santos, Nazareth – :59.89
200-yard individual medley – Abigail Santos, Nazareth – 2:10.18
400-yard individual medley – Cecelia Mowrey, Hartwick – 4:51.09
200-yard freestyle relay – Nazareth – 1:38.25
400-yard freestyle relay – Nazareth – 3:34.24
800-yard freestyle relay – Nazareth – 7:57.28
200-yard medley relay – Nazareth – 1:52.07
400-yard medley relay – Hartwick – 4:02.01
1-meter diving (6-dive) – Allie Norwood, Nazareth – 276.55
3-meter diving (6-dive) – Allie Norwood, Nazareth – 301.05
For the most up to date information on this year's championship, follow the Empire 8 Conference on Twitter (@Empire8).
Ticket Information
$30 All-Session Pass
$10 All-Day Pass Adults
$5 Per-Session Pass Empire 8/AMCC Student With ID
12 & Under - Free
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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