The Twist in Empire 8 Swimming: The UNYSCSA Conference Meet

Brittany Geyer, Stevens podium

By James Sica, Swimming World College Intern

CAMBRIDGE – With all six Empire 8 swimming teams (Ithaca College, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hartwick College, Nazareth College, Alfred University, and Utica College) having wrapped up the competition until 2015, it’s the time of year for coaches to not only ramp up training as we head into winter training but to take a look at other teams to see what holes may need to be filled heading into the end of the year.

The Upper New York State Collegiate Swimming Association

With the Winter Invitationals come and gone, it seems like we have a pretty good idea of where the team stack up in the Empire 8. However, the Empire 8 conference is unique in that it brings in several other teams at the end of the year to compete in the UNYSCSA Conference meet. The UNYSCSA (Upper New York State Collegiate Swimming Association) adds eight additional teams to the Empire 8’s existing six for a total of 14 schools competing at the same meet. This means coaches in the Empire 8 need to have these teams on their radar as well, the likes of which include Union College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Rochester Institute of Technology, all teams that have a history of bringing swimmers to NCAA’s and who are frequently in contention for the UNYSCSA title. This makes the UNYSCSA Championships one of the largest and deepest conferences in NCAA Division 3 swimming.

The UNYSCSA meet is scored both as an overall competition between the 14 teams and as a competition between the six teams in the Empire 8. This creates an interesting situation where it is possible to win the Empire 8 title without winning the overall UNYSCSA Conference title. This is because the Empire 8 scoring does not lock people into A, B, and C finals (the UNYSCSA meet brings back the top 24 and follows standard championships scoring). For the Empire 8 contest, regardless of where you place in prelims you can move up or down in scoring. For example, typically 9th and 17th are considered the worst spots to end in prelims; best-case scenario, you end up maintaining your position, and worst case (and far more likely) you can drop anyone where from one to several places and earn less points. On the other hand, when you finish 8th and 16th (“sneaking” into those A and B finals), you have nowhere to go but up.

As the Empire 8 does not follow the traditional format, but rather a timed finals setup at night, it creates an opportunity for some exciting racing and gives swimmers in the Empire 8 a completely different way to approach their race. For example, a 9th-place swimmer in the center lane of their heat may be able to jump out and get clean water and post a faster time than a competitor in the final heat and end up placing higher in Empire 8 scoring. In fact, theoretically a swimmer from a B or C final could conceivably win the Empire 8 title in the event by posting the fastest time in finals. On that same token, just because you qualified in the top eight of an event out of prelims, that does not mean you are “locked in” to top eight scoring; you can still move down in Empire 8 places, which is even more of a reason to bring you’re a game each session.

While the outcome of the Empire 8 typically follows the order of UNYSCSA scoring, it has been close in recent years. Last year, for instance, in UNYSCSA scoring on the men’s side Stevens Institute of Technology took first with 1,412 points with Ithaca College in second place with 1,325.50. However, in Empire 8 scoring the two teams were only separated by eight points, with Stevens taking first in 818 points and Ithaca trailing in 810.

And, while it creates an interesting scenario for scoring, the UNYSCSA meet also provides a much more competitive environment and is only continuing to get faster and deeper. Take a look at some of the progressions in finals cut offs for just a few events between the 2010 and 2014, particularly taking note of the differences in the times top make 16 and top 24:

Women:

2010
200 breast: 8th – 2:28.65, 16th – 2:34.62, 24th – 2:42.33
200 back: 8th – 2:13.76, 16th – 2:16.33, 24th – 2:20.44
400 IM: 8th – 4:47.64, 16th – 4:59.75, 24th – 5:14.81
1650 free: 8th – 18:15.25, 16th – 18:59.71, 24th – 19:25.94

2014
200 breast: 8th – 2:29.85, 16th – 2:33.99, 24th – 2:37.91
200 back: 8th – 2:10.20, 16th – 2:15.36, 24th – 2:17.19
400 IM: 8th – 4:43.69, 16th – 4:52.48, 24th – 5:00.23
1650 free: 8th – 17:51.25, 16th – 18:24.37, 24th – 18:47.98

Men:

2010
500 free: 8th – 4:48.10, 16th – 4:52.15, 24th – 4:56.07
200 breast: 8th – 2:14.17, 16th – 2:16.20, 24th – 2:18.40
200 back: 8th – 1:58.18, 16th – 2:01.13, 24th – 2:04.03
400 IM: 8th – 4:19.13, 16th – 4:25.11, 24th – 4:35.46

2014
500 free: 8th – 4:41.59, 16th – 4:48.40, 24th – 4:54.31
200 breast: 8th – 2:11.13, 16th – 2:15.36, 24th – 2:18.55
200 back: 8th – 1:54.35, 16th – 1:58.32, 24th – 2:03.52
400 IM: 8th – 4:13.71, 16th – 4:23.49, 24th – 4:26.26

This environment gives Empire 8 teams a deeper, more competitive field and helps pit them against opponents they otherwise may never have the opportunity to swim. With teams like Stevens, Ithaca, and Union only continuing to get better, keep an eye out for this conference and this meet as Division 3 swimming continues to grow and evolve.

Empire 8 Athletes of the Week

For the second week in a row two Stevens swimmers, junior Ravi Sun and senior Brittany Geyer, were awarded athlete of week for the Empire 8. Brittany won the 200 breaststroke (2:20.03), the 100 breaststroke (1:04.16), and also placed second in the 400 IM (4:35.61) and 12th in the 500 freestyle (5:20.91). Her times in the 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, and 400 IM were all NCAA B cuts. Geyer was also a member of three second-place relays for the Ducks, participating in the 200-medley relay (1:48.36), the 800-free relay (7:49.36) and the 400-medley relay (3:56.01).

Junior Ravi Sun continued to impress in the 200 backstroke (1:47.74), setting a new school record as well as an ECAC Championship record. He also won the 100 back backstroke (49.64), and tied in the 200-yard individual medley (1:53.37), and finished second in the 400 IM (4:03.93). Sun recorded B cuts in the 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, and 400 IM. Sun also contributed to two NCAA B cuts in the medley relays, finishing second in both the 200 medley relay (1:31.71) and 400 medley relay (3:21.61).

James Sica is a volunteer assistant coach with the Harvard women’s swimming and diving program.  Previously, he coached and swam at Ithaca College in the Empire 8.

 

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