Empire 8 Swimming Mid-Season Analysis

By James Sica, Swimming World College Intern

With all six Empire 8 swimming teams (Ithaca College, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hartwick College, Nazareth College, Alfred University, and Utica College) taking a break from competition for the time being, this is the perfect time to reflect on the first half of the season and look at where teams sit in the conference. Specifically, we will look at some of the performances from mid-season meets and how athletes sit within the top 10 in the conference. At the bottom of this article you can find the top 24 ranking of the conference generated from the NCAA database from USA Swimming.

Empire 8 Swimming Rundown

Steven’s Institute of Technology

Looking at Steven’s Institute of Technology position within the conference, it is striking how many of their athletes on in the top 10 of the conference on both the men’s and women’s side. For the men, Steven’s has the top athlete in all 14 of the individual events in the conference. Notably, several of Steven’s swimmers sit at the top of the conference in multiple events: Junior Tomasz Wolinski has the top times in the conference in the 50 (20.75), 100 (45.41), 200 (1:40.85) freestyles, while junior Ravi Sun in the 100 (49.63) and 200 (1:47.19) backstrokes as well as the 200 (1:51.68) and 400 (4:03.93) IMs. These athletes have all achieved B cuts in their respective events. While Steven’s is pretty evenly represented in the all of the events, it’s striking how dominant they are in the 100 and 200 butterfly, where they occupy the top 3 spots in both events and have 6 swimmers in the top 10.

On the women’s side of the conference, the Steven’s women occupy 11 of the 14 individual events. Sophomore Danielle Caruso has the top times in the 100 (52.88), 200 (1:52.17), 500 (4:58.16), 1000 (10:32.16), and 1650 (17:27.10) freestyle events. Caruso’s times in the 200, 500, and 1650 are all NCAA B cuts. Senior Brittany Geyer sits at the top of the conference in both breaststrokes (1:04.16, 2:17.67; both NCAA B cuts), as well as the 200 (2:08.53) IM, while Maria McClure leads the conference in both butterfly events (57.04, 2:05.02), both B standards. Similar to the Steven’s men, the women are amazingly dominant in the 100 and 200 butterfly; they occupy the 3 top spots in both events, as well as 7 of the top 10 spots in the 100 fly.

While we will not know how the conference shakes out until the end of the year, Stevens is still impressive in the sheer number of swimmers they have in the top 10 of every event, and are definitely making a case to be the teams to watch at the end of the year.

Ithaca College

The Ithaca men, while not reaching Steven’s top end speed, are right behind the Ducks in several events. The Zelehowsky brothers are prominent in the top 10 of many events, again displaying what an asset they are to the Bombers; between the two brothers, junior Adam holds top 10 positions in the 50 (7th – 21.82), 100 (3rd – 46.53), and 200 (3rd – 1:44.46) freestyles, the 100 backstroke (8th – 53.94), and the 200 IM (4th – 1:56.52), while senior Lucas is ranked in the 100 (3rd – 57.98) and 200 (3rd – 2:09.60) breaststrokes, and the 100 (4th – 50.76) and 200 (4th – 1:53.72) butterflies. Lucas’s time in the 200 butterfly is an NCAA B cut. Senior Logan Metzger is also ranked well in the 50 (3rd – 21.30) and 100 (4th – 46.66) freestyles, and the 100 backstroke (5th – 52.98). While the Ithaca men are competitive in many events, they will need more of their swimmers who are just outside of the top 10 to be able to get positions in the A and B finals at the end of the year if they hope to challenge Stevens.

The Lady Bombers are also able to compete with Stevens in several of the top 10 in the conference, including having swimmers in the top spot of the conference in the 100 and 200 backstrokes. Senior Kylie Bangs is first in the conference in the 100 (58.44) backstroke, while also occupying positions within the top 10 in the 200 (2nd – 2:07.15) backstroke and the 400 IM (6th – 4:43.00). Sophomore Grace Ayer holds the top position in the 200 backstroke (2:06.24), while also placing in the top 10 in a startling eight other events: the 50 (6th – 25.30), 100 (6th – 54.05), and 200 (2:00.52) freestyles, the 100 backstroke (4th – 59.67), the 100 (2nd – 1:07.94) and 200 (5th – 2:32.67) breaststrokes, and the 200 (5th – 2:12.83) and 400 (3rd – 4:40.49) IMs. The Lady Bombers look to have a lot of depth across the board, and if history is any indication they should be neck and neck with Stevens at the end of the year.

Hartwick College

Hartwick showed a lot at their mid-season performance at the Bomber Invitational. On the men’s side, it became evident how strong Hartwick is in the events they have long had a presence: the distance freestyle, 200’s of stroke, and the 400 IM. Senior Miles Blaney holds top 10 positions in the 100 (10th – 47.63), 200 (2nd – 1:42.30), and 500 (10th – 4:54.38), as well as the 100 butterfly (9th – 52.77). Junior Matthew Plunkett is also ranked well in the 100 (3rd – 52.72) and 200 (4th – 1:51.52) backstrokes, the latter being an NCAA B cut. While the men certainly have a presence in the conference, they are noticeably light in both breaststrokes and the sprint freestyle events.

On the women’s side, the Lady Hawks did well to turn in some impressive performances at the Bomber Invite that solidified their third place in the conference. The highlight of this has to be sophomore Kelsey Elliot, who is ranked first in the conference in the 50 freestyle (24.55). Junior Imma Rutigliano finds herself in the top 10 of seven events, including the 100 (8th – 54.64), 200 (4th – 1:58.13), and 500 (7th – 5:20.06) freestyles, the 100 (9th – 1:01.54) and 200 (6th – 2:10.96) backstrokes, and the 200 (2nd – 2:09.96) and 400 (4th – 4:41.21) IMs. While the women have a few individuals placed high in several events, they have noticeable holes the butterfly and breaststroke events that prevent them from having a roster that is yet capable of challenging Ithaca or Stevens.

Nazareth College

Nazareth had a few standout swims from the Bomber Invite that helped propel several of their swimmers into the top 10 in the conference. For the men, Daniel Burke continues to show what an asset he is to the Golden Flyers, and occupies high positions in the 10 (7th – 53.81) and 200 (2nd – 1:50.71) backstrokes, the 100 breaststroke (1:01.31), and the 400 IM (4:08.60). Notable also are the freshman and sophomore duo of Andrew Battaglia and Matt Leverich, who vaulted themselves into top 10 spots in the 500, 1000, and 1650 freestyle after last weekend.

On the women’s side, sophomore Cameron Hess continues be a big contributor for the Golden Flyers with her top 10 positions in the 200 (8th – 2:00.08), 500 (2nd – 5:11.79), 1000 (5th – 11:02.84), and 1650 (2nd – 17:39.99). Junior Kimberly Pedrotti has also emerged as a force in the 100 (3rd – 1:08.62) and 200 (4th – 2:31.75) breaststrokes as well as the 400 IM (5th – 4:42.87) and the 1000 (9th – 11:18.00) and 1650 (5th – 18:17.87). While both the men and women have swimmers who can challenge for conference titles at the end of the year, the lack of swimmers within the top 10 and top 24 in some events shows they still have some work to do before they can move up in the conference.

Alfred University

The Saxon men and women took the Bomber Invite as an opportunity to continue their re-emergence as a force in this conference, posting performances that indicate they may be able to challenge Hartwick and Nazareth for a high position in the conference at the end of the year. On the men’s side, veteran senior David Luke is near the top of the conference in the 50 (2nd – 20.85) and 100 (5th – 46.72) freestyle, as is Dave Coombes in the 50 (5th – 21.66), 100 (2nd – 46.33), and 200 (6th – 1:43.67) freestyles as well as the 100 backstroke (4th – 52.78). With that talent in the sprint freestyles a number of swimmers just outside the top 10 in those events, expect Alfred to once again have relays that can challenge both Stevens and Ithaca at the end of the year.

On the women’s side, sophomore Dylan Staniszewski is a force in the 100 (3rd – 53.52), 200 (3rd – 1:57. 93), and 500 (4th – 5:14.58) freestyles. Those are close to lifetime bests for Staniszewski, and show a move away from the mile, which was one of her three individual events at the conference meet last year. Senior Chrissy Behr is also ranked well in the sprints, including the 50 (3rd – 24.71) and 100 (7th – 54.28). While the Lady Saxons have some top times in the sprints, they are hurt by their lack of depth in the stroke events and the absence of any Alfred swimmer from the top 10 of any other events.

Utica College

Utica chose to forgo a winter invitational, instead competing against Cazenovia in a duel meet. Missing the high level of competition typically found at these meets may reflect the lack of any Utica swimmer in the top 10 of the conference; however, there are several Utica swimmers within the top 24 that may continue to move up by the end of the year. On the men’s side, this includes sophomore Chris Deyette in the breaststroke events, and for the women freshman Phoebe King in the 100 freestyle and freshmen Alyson Baribault in the breaststrokes.

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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