Women's Swimming and Diving | 2/18/2023 7:23:22 PM
WEBSTER, NY – Nazareth College rolled to its ffifth straight league title, as the Golden Flyers earned the 2023 Empire 8 Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship, held in conjunction with the Allegheny Empire Championships at the Webster Aquatic Center came to a close on Saturday, February 18.
The Golden Flyers went wire-to-wire in scoring 500 more points than the rest of the E8 field, recording 1,181.5 points. Hartwick was the runner-up with second with 647 points, while Alfred University placed third with 493 points. Utica College was fourth overall with 280 points, while Medaille University, making its E8 debut, tallied 75 points.
Nazareth won four of the six events on the final day of competition. Grace Cioffi won her third E8 title in the 200-yard butterfly, hitting the wall first in a time of 2:16.79. Alyssa Woodford continued the tremendous run for Nazareth, taking the 200-yard backstroke in a time of 2:10.84, while Elizabeth Deck won her second individual title of the week, annexing the 100-yard freestyle in 54.37 seconds.
Hartwick’s Courtney Pierce earned her second individual victory of the week, this time in the 200-yard breatstroke, as she touched the wall first in a time of 2:26.37. That performance helped her earn Empire 8 Swimmer of the Meet accolades.
Teammate Joelle Ocheltree recorded her second straight E8 title in the 1,650-yard freestyle, rolling to a dominant victory in 18:08.83.
Nazareth diver Elizabeth Tripp was named the Empire 8 and Allegheny Empire Diver of the Meet after winning both diving events earlier in the week.
Saturday’s Finals Results
1,650-yard freestyle – Joelle Ocheltree, Hartwick – 18:08.83
200-yard backstroke – Alyssa Woodford, Nazareth – 2:10.84
100-yard freestyle – Elizabeth Deck, Nazareth – :54.37
200-yard breaststroke – Courtney Pierce, Hartwick – 2:26.37
200-yard butterfly – Grace Cioffi, Nazareth – 2:16.79
400-yard freestyle relay – Darby McNamara, Julie Filipski, Abbie Santos, Elizabeth Deck, Nazareth – 3:38.00
Final 2023 Empire 8 Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship Team Scores
Nazareth – 1,181.5
Hartwick – 647
Alfred – 493
Utica – 280
Medaille – 75
2023 Empire 8 Championship Swimmer of the Meet: Courtney Pierce, Fr., Hartwick
2023 Empire 8 Championship Diver of the Meet: Elizabeth Tripp, Jr, Nazareth
Below are final team scores of the Allegheny Empire Championship, Nazareth won its third consecutive Allegheny Empire Championship, while Hartwick was fourth, Alfred sixth and Utica seventh and Medaille tenth in the 10-team field.
Tripp was also named Allegheny Empire Championship Diver of the Meet, while Nazareth head coach Chris Heckman was named Coach of the Meet for the second straight year.
Final Allegheny Empire Championship Team Scores
| WOMEN |
| Nazareth - 1181.5 |
| Alfred State - 831 |
| Penn State Behrend - 830 |
| Hartwick - 647 |
| Penn State Altoona - 614.5 |
| Alfred University - 493 |
| Utica - 280 |
| Pitt.-Bradford - 154 |
| Wells - 135 |
| Medaille - 75 |