WEBSTER, NY – The Alfred University men's swimming & diving team placed third overall at the Allegheny Empire Championships at the Webster Aquatic Center over the weekend. 

The Saxons also finished second within the Empire 8 Championships with 907 points overall. 

"We performed well this weekend. There were some great highlights, and they gave themselves an opportunity – swimming some great races at the top." Head Coach Brian Striker said. "We had a weaker day on the first full day of individual swims which caused a deficit that we couldn't overcome. We came into this weekend on the men's side hoping to win and put up a pretty good fight over the course of the four days.  Packing a whole season's expectations into three or four days at the end of a season is emotional. We did our best dealing with some adversity and those emotions, but in the end were not able to get it done. That being said, I am proud of what we were able to do this season!"

The 400-meter freestyle relay team of Emmanuel Drappatz (Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel Area),  William LaMastus (Maumee, OH/Anthony Wayne), Paul Tuttle (Irondequoit, NY/Irondequoit), and Colby Watkins (New Orleans, LA/St. Martin's Episcopal) placed second overall and first within the Empire 8. They swam a time of 3:11.44, which made them Empire 8 Champions in the event. This was the final event of the day and gave the Saxons enough points to beat out their neighbors across the street, Alfred State.

The B-team of Emiliano Terrazas (La Paz, Bolivia/Saint Andrew's), Nathan Sponenberg (Bloomsburg, PA/Central Columbia), Fernando Lagos (Tegucigalpa, Honduras/Escuela e Instituo Lincoln), and Wade LaMastus (Maumee, OH/Anthony Wayne) TIED with Alfred State for first in B-finals with a time of 3:14.51. Lagos swam the final leg in 47.07 seconds making up over a second against A-State to tie for first in the event. 

Fernando Lagos was recognized as the Tournament's Torchbearer Award recipient. This honor was bestowed upon him for having the highest cumulative GPA among Junior and Senior athletes on the top two teams in the Empire 8 conference. 

In the 200-yard backstroke, the Saxons had three athletes qualify for A-finals including Phillip Volaski (Poughquag, NY/Arlington), Nathan Sponenberg, and William LaMastus.

Will LaMastus finished third overall and first among Empire 8 competitors to earn himself another individual Empire 8 Championship and All-Empire 8 First Team Recognition. He swam a time of 1:54.76.

Volaski swam a time of 1:57.13 earning him fourth place overall and second among Empire 8 competitors, which garnered an all Empire 8 Second Team Recognition.

Emmanuel Drappatz qualified for A-finals in the 100-yard freestyle and finished in third place overall and second among Empire 8 competition with a time of 48.19. This earned him an All-Empire 8 Second Team honor for the event. Alessandro Lagos Canales (Tegucigalpa, Honduras/Escuela e Instituo Lincoln) and Colby Watkins both also qualified for B-finals in the 100-yard freestyle. 

In the 200-yard Breaststroke, the Saxons had Emiliano Terrazas and Wade LaMastus qualify for A-finals. 

Terrazas finished in third place overall and second among Empire 8 competitors with a time of 2:08.73. This earned him an all Empire-8 second team recognition in the event. Wade finished in fourth overall with a time of 2:11.15.

Three Saxons also qualified for B-finals in the 200-Yard Breaststroke including Kaegen Winkky (Horseheads, NY Horseheads), Jordan Annlee (Henrietta, NY/ Rush-Henrietta), and Aidan Kirk (Lockport, NY/Starpoint).

Giuseppe Piede (Dunellen, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) and Fernando Lagos  both qualified for A-finals in the 200-yard Butterfly. Piede placed fifth with a time of 1:58.90 while Fernando was right behind in seventh place with a time of 1:59.93. 

"Overall, the divers did awesome, and the swimmers had great swims. This is a great group and more than anything, they support each other and have worked together to try to improve themselves and this program over this season." Head Coach Brian Striker said.