Women's Swimming and Diving | 10/13/2021 3:59:54 PM
Nazareth College will look to win its fourth consecutive Empire 8 title, as the 2021-22 women’s swimming and diving season gets underway on Oct. 16. The 2021-22 Empire 8 Championship, held in conjunction with the Allegheny Empire Championship will take place at the Webster Aquatic Center, hosted by Nazareth from Wednesday, Feb. 16-Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022.
Players to Watch (Sorted Alphabetically by Name)
Victoria Cramp, Alfred, Gr., Diving, Hornell, NY/Hornell – Cramp has earned All-Empire 8 second team honors three times, once in the 3-meter diving event in 2018-19 and both the 1- and 3-meter dives in 2017-18.
Abby Miller, Hartwick, Sr., Freestyle/Individual Medley, Oneonta, NY/Oneonta – Miller was named Co-Swimmer of the 2019-20 Empire 8 Championships after earning All-E8 first team honors in the 200-, 500- and 1,650-yard freestyle events. She was also part of the winning 800-yard freestyle relay.
Taylor Robey, Nazareth, Gr., Freestyle, Hurley, NY/Kingston – Robey enters her final season as one of the most decorated swimmers in Empire 8 history. She was named the 2017-18 E8 Rookie of the Year and 2018-19 and 2019-20 E8 Swimmer of the Year. Robey will look to compete at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships for the third time in 2021-22.
Kelly Waryncia, Utica, Sr., Individual Medley/Backstroke, Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa – Waryncia is expected to vie for all-conference honors in several events.
Team Capsules (Sorted by 2019-20 Championship Results)
Nazareth
The Golden Flyers have won the last three E8 titles and have a new head coach, Chris Heckman, to guide them in 2021-22. Graduate student Taylor Robey and sophomore Allie Norwood have been named All-Americans the past two seasons and look to make it back to the NCAA Championship meet in 2022. Robey enters her final season as one of the most decorated swimmers in Empire 8 history. She was named the 2017-18 E8 Rookie of the Year and 2018-19 and 2019-20 E8 Swimmer of the Year. She has won 14 individual or relay events and earned five runner-up honors at the E8 Championships. Norwood is the two-time reigning Empire 8 Diver of the Year and will be a national contender in both the 1- and 3-meter events. Junior Abigail Santos burst onto the scene in 2019-20 after earning the E8 co-Swimmer of the Meet and Rookie of the Year accolades. She is a standout in the individual medley events.
Hartwick
The Hawks were a close runner-up to Nazareth at the 2019-20 Empire 8 Championships. Senior Abby Miller was named Co-Swimmer of the 2019-20 Empire 8 Championships after earning All-E8 first team honors in the 200-, 500- and 1,650-yard freestyle events. She was also part of the winning 800-yard freestyle relay. Junior Emma Reilly and sophomore Joelle Ocheltree will also be counted on to play a key role for the Hawks in 2021-22. Newcomers Elizabeth Baird, Avyanna Chavez-Rodriguez, Bree Dy, Jacqueline Drown and Amanda Wilbur are expected to step right in and compete right away.
Alfred
Alfred will look to contend for the league title in 2021-22. Graduate student Victoria Cramp is a three-time All-Empire 8 selection on the diving board, earning second team accolades in the 3-meter event in 2018-19 and in both the 1- and 3-meter dives in 2017-18. Junior Ivy Vallely will be counted on to be one of Alfred’s top swimmers, specializing in the distance events. Seniors Caitlyn Behr, Rachel Flaherty and Shaelyn McClaughry, along with sophomore Mia Spencer will look to excel in 2021-22.
Utica
Utica will look to improve on its fourth place finish at the 2019-20 Empire 8 Championship. Seniors Kelly Waryncia (individual medley and backstroke), Emma Ormsby (freestyle and backstroke), Kira Seaman (breaststroke and individual medley) and Katie Delgado (freestyle) along with Kate Anderson (freestyle and backstroke) will be counted on to lead the Pioneers in and out of the pool in 2021-22.
Final 2019-20 Empire 8 Swimming and Diving Championship Results
Nazareth – 1,081.5 Points – League Champions
Hartwick – 891.5
Alfred – 538
Utica – 382
^ The Empire 8 Championship was not held in 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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
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