Men's Swimming and Diving | 10/14/2021 8:47:50 AM
Nazareth College will look to repeat as Empire 8 Champions, as the 2021-22 men’s swimming and diving season gets underway on Oct. 16. The Empire 8 Championships 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)
Tom Griffin, Nazareth, Sr., Backstroke/Freestyle, Liverpool, NY/Liverpool – Griffin won the 100-yard backstroke at the 2020 Allegheny Empire Championships and was part of four winning relays. He is also expected to be among the top sprint freestyle swimmers in the region.
Phil Volaski, Alfred, Jr., Backstroke, Individual Medley, Poughquag, NY/Arlington – Volaski is expected to be one of the top Empire 8 swimmers in both the backstroke and individual medley this season. He earned All-Empire 8 second team honors in both the 200-yad backstroke and 200-yard IM in 2020.
Diallo Marshall, Hartwick, Jr., Endicott, NY/Union Endicott – Marshall was named the 2019-20 Empire 8 Co-Rookie of the Year. He won both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events at the 2020 Allegheny Empire Championships and garnered four All-Empire 8 second team honors in freestyle relay and medley relay events.
Jackson Sorbello, Utica, Sr., Freestyle/Butterfly, Saint George, Antigua & Barbuda/St. Anthony’s – Sorbello will contend for All-Empire 8 honors in the sprint freestyle and butterfly events.
Team Capsules (Sorted by 2019-20 Championship Results)
Nazareth
Nazareth won its first-ever Empire 8 Conference title in 2019-20 and have 18 swimmers returning for first-year coach Chris Heckman, who takes over for Scott Whitbeck after five successful seasons. Despite the losses of several former league championships in the pool and diving board, the Golden Flyers have plenty of depth in 2021-22. Senior Tom Griffin returns after winning the 100-yard backstroke at the 2020 Allegheny Empire Championships and was part of four winning relays. He is also expected to be among the top sprinters in the region. Junior Dylan Long was the 2019-20 Empire 8 Co-Rookie of the Year after winning the 200-, 500- and 1,650-yard freestyle at the 2020 Allegheny Empire Championships. Seniors Caleb Blank, Joseph Knapp, Sean Payrot, Marco Salvatore and Luke Winkleman will also be expected to lead the way for the Golden Flyers.
Hartwick
The Hawks earned runner-up honors at the 2019-20 E8 Championships and will contend for the league title this season. Junior Diallo Marshall will lead the way for the Hawks in the pool. He was named the 2019-20 Empire 8 Co-Rookie of the Year. He won both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events at the 2020 Allegheny Empire Championships and garnered four All-Empire 8 second team honors in freestyle and medley relay events. Junior Dawson Tupponce emerged as a top swimmer in the butterfly events, earning All-Empire 8 second team honors in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly races at the 2020 Empire 8 Championships. Juniors Reid Sinkinson and Nic Canney and senior Colin Leonard will also be counted on to lead the way for the Hawks in 2021-22. Newcomers Nicholas Budzynski, Gabe Castro, Brady Haraden, Devin Masongsong and Michael Schultz are expected to contribute right away.
Alfred
Alfred will contend for the 2021-22 Empire 8 title, as 18 student-athletes return to go along with 10 highly touted newcomers. Junior Phil Volaski is expected to be one of the top Empire 8 swimmers in both the backstroke and individual medley this season. He earned All-Empire 8 second team honors in both the 200-yad backstroke and 200-yard IM in 2020. Sophomore Fernando Lagos will be a top contender in both the freestyle and butterfly events, while classmate Emiliano Terrazas is a standout in the breaststroke and individual medley. Alessandro Lagos and Justin Jarmer will also be counted to contribute for the Saxons. In addition, newcomers Jordan Fixsen, Wade and Will LaMastus, Paul Tuttle and Colby Watkins are expected to step right into Alfred’s lineup.
Utica
Utica will look to improve on its fourth place finish at the 2019-20 Empire 8 Championship. Seniors Jackson Sorbello and Coleman Barry will be counted on to lead the Pioneers in 2021-22. Sorbello is a standout in the freestyle and butterfly, while Barry specializes in the distance events. Junior breaststroke and freestyle standout Michael Colocho and first-year freestyle specialist Chase Dobbertin will serve as top scorers for Utica.
Final 2019-20 Empire 8 Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship Results
Nazareth – 996 Points – League Champions
Hartwick – 910
Alfred – 809
Utica – 290
^ The Empire 8 Championship was not held in 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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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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