University of Wyoming head swim coach Dave Denniston said his program is “devastated” following the loss of three swimmers in a deadly car crash on Thursday afternoon.
Denniston said the team will release more information about the situation as soon as the victims’ families have been notified, a task made more difficult by the fact that one of them is an international student.
The victims were reportedly one 18-year-old woman and two men ages 21 and 22. Two other men’s swimmers ages 20 and 2021 were injured in the crash and hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
“We are heartsick at the news of this terrible tragedy for our university, our state, our student-athlete community and, most importantly, the families and friends of these young people,” Wyoming president Ed Seidel said. “Words are insufficient to express our sadness.”
The Wyoming women are in the midst of competing at the 2024 Mountain West Championships this week in Houston, Texas. The crash apparently occurred in Northern Colorado’s Larimer County, more than an hour away from the Cowgirls’ campus in Laramie, Wyoming.
Investigators said a Toyota Rav4 rolled multiple times down an embankment, ejecting two people. They are still looking into the cause of the single-car wreck.
“My thoughts and prayers are with our swimming and diving student-athletes, coaches, families and friends,” Wyoming athletic director Tom Burman said. “It is difficult to lose members of our University of Wyoming family, and we mourn the loss of these student-athletes. We have counseling services available to our student-athletes and coaches in our time of need.”
This story will be updated with more details as they become available.Â
Did the coach ever get let go for endangering them?
Dave is still the coach. I’m not sure in what way the coach endangered them? Coaches cannot be fully responsible for every choice that their adult athletes make. Maybe you have more information than was reported publicly, but I haven’t heard anything that would lead me to believe that this was the coaches’ fault.
It looks like similar variables to the Kelvin Kiptum death two weeks ago. When the vehicle is traveling too fast any minor mistake is magnified and can be tragic:
“CSP said excessive speed is being investigated in the case. Alcohol or drugs are not suspected as causal factors.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/three-university-wyoming-swimmers-killed-two-injured-highway-crash-rcna140159
I am so sorry for the loss of life! How tragic. The families, teammates, and coaches are in my thoughts and prayers.
Charlie Clark, Carson Muir, and Luke Slabber. Keep their families in your prayers. Life is such a precious thing. May God make the most beautiful resting spots for them in Heaven, Amen.
thoughts and prayers are with the pokes
Such devastating news – prayers for all the families 💔
Such a senseless loss and tragic reminder to always buckle up. RIP
UW Women are in the middle of their conference meet right now in Houston. UW Men conference meet is scheduled for next week. We are all grievingl and devestated.