The AMCC men's swimming and diving teams will take to the starting blocks this week for the first AMCC-Empire Swimming and Diving Championship Meet since the covid-19 pandemic hit. The AMCC and Empire 8 conferences combined for their first joint championship in February 2020 while the 2021 championship was canceled. The event will take place at the Webster Aquatic Center in Webster, NY, with the events kicking off Wednesday evening and concluding Saturday, February 19.
The Penn State Behrend Lions claimed the 2020 AMCC Championship and will be looking to defend their title this week. The Lions are led by graduate student Jake Schmidt who tops the conference in the 200 free (1:42.96) and the 1650 free (16:56.41). Schmidt has also recorded top five times in the 100 free, 500 free, 1000 free, and 50 fly. Freshman Tim Compton has also made name for himself in his first season with the Lions. Compton has earned top times in the 500 free (4:42.20), the 1000 free (10:19.67), the 200 fly (1:52.85), and the 400 individual medley (4:27.53). Compton also recorded the third-best time in the conference in the 100 fly. Junior Jake Eshelman picked up the top time in the league in the 200 breast (2:09.29), along with top five times in 1000 free, 100 breast, and 50 breast.
The Alfred State College Pioneers finished in the runner-up position in 202. Freshman Kellen Fletcher had a strong season in his first year with the Pioneers. Fletcher recorded top times in the AMCC in the 100 fly (50.61) and 200 individual medley, while earning second-best times in the 50 free and 200 fly. Also sitting at the top of conference times this season are Luca Aldewereld (50 free, 21.25), Jazz Widney (100 free, 46.78), Westin Perry (50 back, 24.02 and 100 back, 52.13), and Stuart Yates (100 breast, 58.03).
Penn State Altoona enters the championship with the returning AMCC Newcomer & Swimmer of the Year in junior Isaac Swanson. Swanson holds top-five times this season in the 200 free (3rd, 1:46.56), 500 free (3rd, 4:53.22), 1000 free (3rd, 10:23.22), 50 back (5th, 25.73), and the 200 back (3rd, 2:00.74). Altoona sophomore Noah Jordan has earned a top time in the 50 breast (28.49) and freshman Laurence Wang is tops in the 50 fly (24.05).
The Pitt-Bradford men's swimming team has finished the regular season with a 5-5 record in dual meets this season. Newcomers Aiden Wright and Owen Fitzsimmons have joined upperclassmen Connor Weiss and CJ Faris to give the Panthers a diverse set of event entries, leading to multiple dual wins.
Wells College enters this year's championship as a first-year affiliate member in the sport of swimming and diving. Wells boasts three team members in the conference's top times this season. Freshman Brandon Fernandez recorded a top-five time in the 50 breast (45.25) while teammate Jude Nash is sixth (1:00.34) in the same event. Freshman Qulik Evans' 27.18 finish in the 50 fly was seventh-best in the AMCC this season.
In conjunction, the five AMCC institutions will join forces with Empire 8 Conference programs Alfred University, Hartwick College, Nazareth College and Utica College for the second Allegheny Empire Championships. At the conclusion of the meet, an Allegheny Empire Women's and Men's Champion will be crowned as well as a Male and Female Swimmer and Diver of the Meet. The top three finishers in each event will also be recognized. Nazareth won the inaugural championship in 2020.
Click here for the Championship Homepage.
Click here for the Empire 8 Championship Preview.