When it rains, it pours.
For the UF swimming and diving team, this season has showered stinging drops of hail. Only weeks after senior swimmer Matthew Norton was injured in a scooter accident, the Gators have been pummeled with additional blows to both their rosters and spirits. While one loss in the lineup was due to a career decision, the other could be blamed on a shattered heart.
In only a matter of days after earning a bronze medal for Wales in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India, junior Jemma Lowe opted to part from UF’s roster. Lowe has decided to stay in her homeland England to train with one of the Intensive Training Centres, according to associate head coach Martyn Wilby.
“We appreciate her efforts here and wish her the best of luck in all future endeavors,” Wilby said.
The ITC contains British Swimming’s Olympic training facilities. Lowe is both an All-American and a 2008 Olympian who holds UF’s record in the 100-meter butterfly.
However, a tragic event permeating national headlines can explain another recent absence on the women’s squad. Junior Teresa Crippen is suffering the loss of brother and swimming great, Fran Crippen.
During a 10-kilometer open-water race in the waters off the United Arab Emirates last weekend, racers became concerned when Crippen didn’t cross the finish line. Crippen’s body was later found 400 meters from the finish line after a search mission was launched.
The 26-year-old’s cause of death has not yet been confirmed, though competitors said that the water conditions were harsh, as temperatures measured above 80 degrees.
Currently, the Crippen family is mourning the tragic loss, as are the Gators, coach Gregg Troy said.
“The whole team is certainly dealing with it,” he said. “It was a loss for a lot of them, even some on the men’s team. A couple of our guys traveled on a regular basis with Fran, who was a class act. They’re a wonderful family. We don’t expect to have Teresa back for a while. We’re all doing what we can to work with their family and help them any way possible.”
Crippen had an impressive swimming career, swimming for the University of Virginia and most recently earning a silver medal at this year’s Pan Pacific Championships, securing his spot on the 2010-11 U.S. National Team along with little sister, Teresa.
“Everyone knew who Fran Crippen was,” senior diver Monica Dodson said. “He had such a big impact on the swimming world.”
Despite the recent misfortunes the team has been struck with, the Gators are set to take on Southeastern Conference rival Georgia in an away dual meet at 11 a.m. today.
“Even with the setbacks, we can come back as a team and step up and fill in for people that couldn’t make it,” Dodson said.
She also added that they are supporting those who are taking Crippen’s loss especially hard.
Glimmers of positivity shine from the team’s honors stemming from the Gators most recent meet against Virginia. Dodson won her first-ever title of SEC Female Diver of the Week while freshman Elizabeth Beisel won SEC Female Swimmer of the Week and senior Conor Dwyer earned SEC Male Swimmer of the Week.
For the Georgia meet, the Gators will also regain key swimmers previously absent due to competition at the Commonwealth Games.
Sophomore Sebastien Rousseau won both silver and bronze medals for South Africa while junior Marco Loughran established a UF record in the men’s 100-meter backstroke.
It was senior and 13-time All-American Brett Fraser’s first time competing at the Commonwealth Games as he swam for the Cayman Islands.
“The competition was up to different standards,” Fraser said.
Today’s competition is also anticipated to be difficult, especially in the realm of the women’s long distance events.
“We’re seeing probably the best women’s team in the country in Georgia,” Troy said. “We haven’t fared too well against them in dual meets the last couple of years. It’s always a good competition and it’s hard fought. We’re looking forward to a great competition this weekend.”
Last year’s dual meet against Georgia resulted in a win for the men’s squad and a loss for the women’s.
The meet will be the Gators’ first SEC meet of the season, as well as their first away meet.
