Wyoming athletics: 3 members of swimming and diving team killed in car crash, 2 expected to survive

Three members of the Wyoming swimming and diving team were killed and two more injured after the vehicle carrying members of the team rolled alongside a rural highway on Thursday. The crash occurred close to the Wyoming-Colorado border on U.S. 287.

Two people were ejected from the vehicle and are expected to survive their injuries after being released from the hospital. However, Luke Slaber, Charlie Clark and Carson Muir were not as lucky as they tragically passed away in the crash.

According to the patrol, the driver could have been avoiding another vehicle that slowed down to make a turn. However, the accident is still under investigation and nothing has been officially ruled out.

University of Wyoming President Ed Seidel released a statement about the horrific situation (via ESPN):

"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."

This is not the first accident to happen that has taken the lives of student-athletes on this road. In 2001, a drunk driver hit a vehicle with eight members of Wyoming's cross-country team and all eight athletes were killed. In 2010, a pickup truck drifted off the road and killed a University of Wyoming football player while injuring three other teammates.

Also Read: 3 North Carolina football players charged in high-speed crash that killed student in Chapel Hill: Reports

How were the student-athletes from Wyoming memorialized?

The members of the Wyoming Swim and Dive team were heading to compete at the Mountain West Swimming & Diving Championships in Houston. Members of the Colorado State Rams swim team in Fort Collins honored their rivals during the meet.

The team came out with the Wyoming Cowboys logo as well as having "WYO" written on their skin with a heart around it. Sometimes it takes unfortunate situations like we saw this week to realize how little sports can be and how impactful honoring competitors can be.

Also Read: Amid SEC expansion rumors, FSU's ACC exit gets complicated as ESPN accuses Seminoles of breaking 'trade secrets'

About the author

Vincent is a College Sports reporter at Sportskeeda with close to 6 years of experience. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Sport Business from Saint Leo University, and has worked with Pasco News Publications and Pro Football Focus.

Vincent's education has helped him approach sports writing from the understanding of what it takes to run a program/team and the business side of it. He has interviewed dozens of players, coaches and analysts and believes he asks the questions readers are interested in.

He ensures that the source is credible and cross-checks information before reporting to ensure accuracy and relevance in his articles.

Vincent doesn’t have a favorite team or player, as he tries to remain unbiased. However, he considers John Wooden the greatest coach of all time and the 1990 “Fifth Down Game” between Colorado and Missouri the most iconic College Sports moment.

For Vincent, College Sports is on par with the pro leagues as it is a professional pipeline with media rights deals and a free agency of sorts. He plays video games and hangs out with friends and family when he’s away from his keyboard.

Know More

Edited by Luke Koshi