Coach Knight enters her fourteenth season as head coach of the men and women swim and dive programs as well as the women’s water polo team. Knight is also the Aquatics Director in which she oversees the day-to-day operations of the Utica University pool.
The 2021-22 season saw a return to normal operations for Utica aquatics, and the squads delivered strong results to match the opportunity. The women's swim and dive squad racked up seven dual meet wins for one of their best seasons in recent memory. The men's squad piled up five dual meet wins over the course of the year. Sara Kuiken and Jackson Sorbello were the E8 Sportsmanship Award winners for the swimming and diving programs. Amelia Laible was chosen to the CWPA East Second Team to headline the water polo season.
The 2020-21 swimming and diving season was a short one, but the Pioneers still got the opportunity to showcase their resolve and will to compete in dual meet action against the University of Rochester. Emma Ormsby and Kelly Waryncia received CWPA honors during the Water Polo Campaign for Utica.
The 2019-20 season was capped off by fourth place finishes at the AMCC/Empire 8 Swimming and Diving Championships. Diver Matt Patton led the team with a pair of top five finishes on the one meter and three meter boards to cap off a decorated career. Swimmer Daniela Hannah led the women's squad with a fifth place finish in the 200 breaststroke in the final meet of her career. Michael Colocho and Sara Kuiken were named the Empire 8 Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year for Utica. The teams combined for a total of ten dual meet wins. The aquatics programs wrapped up the year with the exciting news that Water Polo All-American Evelyn Kurzac '14 will be part of the Pioneer Hall of Fame Class of 2020.
During the 2018-19 season, Knight guided senior Phoebe King to an Empire 8 title in the 200-yard freestyle with a school record time of 1:54.80. For her efforts, King was named first team All-Conference in the 200-free and she was a second team selection in the 200-yard IM. On the men’s side, TJ Tellekamp was named second team All-Conference after he finished second in the 200-yard freestyle at the Empire 8 Championships.
Junior goalie Michalyn Winkler was named a 2018 Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) Division III Women's All-American Honorable Mention, becoming just the second player in program history to receive such an honor. Winkler stopped 149 shots and added a team-best 27 steals for the Pioneers this past season.
In 2016-17 Knight guided the men’s and women’s swim & dive teams to their best seasons in over 12 years. The men’s squad finished above .500 for the first time in over a decade, while the women’s team earned the most wins in recent memory. Knight also led freshman Matt Patton to Diver of the Meet distinction at the Empire 8 Championships as he placed first in the 1-meter event and second on the 3-meter board.
For the second year in a row, seven members of the water polo team earned national recognition for their academic achievements.
In 2015-16, coach Knight guided the men’s and women’s swim and dive team to a 6-7 and 3-11 records respectively. Knight had two swimmers named All-Conference. Phoebe King and Chris Halsey were named to the Sportswoman and Sportsman teams.
In the 2014-2015 season, Knight guided the men’s and women’s swim and dive teams to the best season under her tenure and the most wins in over a decade as both squads concluded the regular season with a 5-8 overall record.
Coach Knight also led several Pioneers to individual and school records. Junior standout
Raphael Warnon broke school-records in the 200 yard individual medley and the 200 yard backstroke to lead the Pioneers at championships. Warnon led the men's squad throughout the regular season with 15 wins while accounting for over 130 points. Freshman Phoebe King shattered the Utica College school-record in the 50 yard freestyle with a time of 25.25. King teamed up with classmates Grace Gallentine and Alyson Baribault along with sophomore Mikey Maxwell in the 200 and 400 yard freestyles and etched their names into the record books, leading the women at championships.
In the 2013-2014 season, Knight guided standout Evelyn Kurzac to her fourth straight All-American honor and fourth consecutive All-Conference selection this past season as she has become the most decorated player in the five-year history of CWPA Division III competition. Kurzac wrapped up her outstanding collegiate career as the programs’ all-time leader in goals scored with 236. She also holds the school record for goals in a season (75), which she set her sophomore season.
That same year, she led the men’s swim and dive team to the most wins in a single season (four) in her five-year tenure and over the last eight years.
A 2003 graduate of Hamilton College, Knight earned a bachelor’s degree in geoarcheology. She swam for three seasons with the Continentals and also spent one season on the swim team at the Naval Academy. Her previous coaching experience includes working with the New Hartford Aquatics Swim Club since 2002. Most recently she was an assistant coach for the New Hartford High School varsity swim team. She also maintained a close relationship with the Utica swim team as a volunteer assistant coach prior to her appointment as aquatics director.
Erin is a 1998 graduate of New Hartford High School where she was a standout swimmer. She currently resides in New Hartford, NY with her husband Andrew and her daughter Tressa.
