Women's Swimming and Diving | 3/24/2022 1:58:31 PM
The Nazareth College duo of Taylor Robey and Allie Norwood were both honored for the third consecutive season, as the Empire 8 Conference announced its 2021-22 Women’s Swimming & Diving All-Conference awards on Thursday, March 24. The awards are voted on by the league's head coaches.
Robey wrapped up her tremendous career by finishing fifth at the NCAA Division III Championships in the 50-yard freestyle on March 16 to earn All-American honors. She entered nationals with the top time in the 50-yard freestyle at :22.79. She was also seeded seventh in the 100-yard freestyle and placed 20th at nationals on March 19.
Robey was named the Empire 8 Swimmer of the Championship Meet, held in conjunction with the Allegheny Empire Championships from Webster Aquatic Center from February 16-19. Robey broke Empire 8 Championship records in both the 50-yard freestyle in 22.95 seconds and 100-yard freestyle with a time of 50.54 seconds. She also won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:55.02 and was part of the victorious 200- and 400-yard freestyle relay teams in addition to the 200- and 400-yard medley relay squads. She finishes her career having won 18 different Empire 8 Championship events.
Norwood earned her third consecutive Empire 8 Diver of the Year honor. She wrapped up her stellar career by garnering All-American honors in the 1-meter diving and Honorable Mention All-American accolades in the 3-meter diving at the NCAA Championships from March 16-19. Norwood is a five-time Empire 8 Diving Champion and was named Diver of the Meet at the 2022 Empire 8 Championship for the third time last month. Norwood, who was also named 2022 Allegheny Empire Diver of the Meet, won the 3-meter title with an impressive score of 477.65 and was third in the 1-meter championship, recording 450.15 points.
First-year standout Bree Dy of Hartwick College was named the 2021-22 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year. Dy enjoyed plenty of success in her first season with Hawks and earned a total of 66 points at the Empire 8 and Allegheny Empire Championships from Feb. 16-19. Dy won the Empire 8 title in both the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke events. She won the 100-backstroke in a time of 1:00.62 and took the 200-backstroke in 2:12.54. She was also a member of the winning 800-yard freestyle team. Dy also garnered Empire 8 runner-up honors in 200-yard individual medley and the 200- and 400-yard medley relay events.
Nazareth head coach Chris Heckman and his staff was named the 2021-22 Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year. It is the fourth straight season that Nazareth earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors, as the Golden Flyers won their fourth consecutive Empire 8 Championship. Overall, 15 different Golden Flyers earned All-Empire 8 accolades. Heckman, who completed his first season as head coach of the Golden Flyers, led the team to a 23rd place finish at the NCAA Championships.
The
Empire 8 first and second team all-conference selections were determined at the championship meet on Feb. 16-19 from the Webster Aquatic Center. Those selections were previously announced on Feb. 25.
One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2021-22 Women's Swimming & Diving Sportswoman of the Year Team. The Empire 8 Conference emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete's experience in conjunction with an institution's educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportswomen.
2021-22 Empire 8 Women’s Swimming & Diving Award Winners
Swimmer of the Year: Taylor Robey, Gr., Nazareth
Diver of the Year: Allie Norwood, Sr., Nazareth
Rookie of the Year: Bree Dy, Fr., Hartwick
Coaching Staff of the Year: Nazareth, led by head coach Chris Heckman
Empire 8 Sportswoman of the Year
Mia Spencer, So., Alfred
Abby Miller, Sr., Hartwick
Amanda Foster, Sr., Nazareth
Sara Kuiken, Jr., Utica
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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