Women's Swimming and Diving | 2/22/2020 10:17:53 PM
Nazareth College won its third straight Empire 8 Championship and took the inaugural 2020 Allegheny Empire Women’s Swimming and Diving crown, as the two meets were held in conjunction from Feb. 19-22 the Webster Aquatic Center and hosted by Hartwick College.
The Golden Flyers finished with 1,081.5 points to win the E8 title, while Hartwick was second with 891.5. Alfred placed third with 538 points, while Utica is fourth with 382. Nazareth (1,758.5), Hartwick (1,399.5) and Alfred (839) recorded the top three team scores in the inaugural 10-team Allegheny Empire Championships.
Nazareth freshman Abigail Santos and Hartwick senior Abby Miller were named co-Empire 8 and Swimmer of the Meet. Santos garnered Allegheny Empire Swimmer of the Meet accolades in addition to both the E8 and Allegheny Empire Rookie of the Meet. Fellow Nazareth teammate Allie Norwood earned both E8 and Allegheny Empire Diver of the Meet awards. It was her second straight Empire 8 Diver of the Meet honor. Nazareth head coach Scott Whitbeck was named the Allegheny Empire Coach of the Meet.
On Saturday, Hartwick’s Abby Miller won her third individual title of the week, opening the finals session with a win by nearly six seconds in the grueling 1,650-yard freestyle in a time of 18:02.47. Teammate Channing Lewis completed the 1-2 Empire 8 in the event.
Nazareth junior Taylor Robey won her second individual crown of the week, winning the 100-yard freestyle in 51.87 seconds. It was her second straight Empire 8 title in that event.
Alfred junior Lauren Serotta also won her second event of the week, rolling to a nearly four second win in the 200-yard backstroke. It was the second straight season that Serotta won the E8 title in that event. Lewis, who swam the 1,650-free less than an hour earlier, came back to place second in the 200-back.
Hartwick senior Gina Grauer won the 200-yard breaststroke by more than four seconds in a time of 2:26.82.
Alfred junior Lauren Serotta won her second straight Empire 8 crown in the 100-yard backstroke, rolling to a two second win in a time of 58.04 seconds. Nazareth freshman Abigail Santos won an individual event for the third straight night, taking the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:05.68.
Nazareth’s 400-yard freestyle relay team of Robey, Santos, Darby McNamara and Paige Pasquarella put the finishing touches on the championship by rolling to a nearly five-second win in a time of 3:32.24.
Norwood won her second straight Empire 8 3-meter diving championship, recording a score of 470.95, as teammate Taylor Woltz placed second overall.
Individual Women’s Award Winners
Co-Empire 8 Swimmer of the Meet: Abby Miller, Sr., Hartwick
Co-Empire 8 Swimmer of the Meet: Abigail Santos, Fr., Nazareth
Empire 8 Diver of the Meet: Allie Norwood, Jr., Nazareth
Empire 8 Rookie of the Meet: Abigail Santos, Fr., Hartwick
Allegheny Empire Swimmer of the Meet: Abigail Santos, Fr., Nazareth
Allegheny Empire Diver of the Meet: Allie Norwood, Jr., Nazareth
Allegheny Empire Coach of the Meet: Scott Whitbeck, Nazareth
Saturday’s Empire 8 Individual Champions
1,650 yard freestyle – Abby Miller, Hartwick – 18:02.47
100-yard freestyle – Taylor Robey, Nazareth – :51.78
200-yard backstroke – Lauren Serotta, Alfred – 2:07.55
200-yard breaststroke – Gina Grauer, Hartwick – 2:26.82
400-yard freestyle relay – Taylor Robey, Abigail Santos, Darby McNamara, Paige Pasquarella, Nazareth – 3:32.24
3-meter diving – Allie Norwood, Nazareth – 470.95
2020 Empire 8 Championship Team Scores
Nazareth – 1,081.50
Hartwick – 891.5
Alfred – 538
Utica – 382
Allegheny Empire Team Scores
Nazareth – 1,758.5
Hartwick – 1,399.5
Alfred – 839
Alfred State – 801
Penn State Behrend – 789
Utica – 549
Franciscan – 442
Penn State Altoona – 384
SUNY Delhi – 272
Pitt-Bradford – 17