Buick Human Highlight Reel: Claire Crippen

The Buick Human Highlight Reel acknowledges college athletes who not only excel in their respective sports, but also contribute to community and humanitarian efforts off the field. These NCAA athletes are being recognized for their contributions to helping others. The SB Nation college bloggers were asked to nominate former athletes from their respective schools, with four winners being selected. One of those winning athletes is University of Virginia swimmer Claire Crippen.

Crippen followed in the footsteps of her older brother, Fran Crippen, an 11-time All-American swimmer at Virginia. During Claire’s time at the school, she became a four-time All-American herself and was the coach of the 2010-11 ACC Champion Cavaliers swim team.

In October, Fran passed away while participating in a World Cup open water event for the United States. The death hit the swimming community hard, but none more so than Claire and her family. She second-guessed her plans to engage in a planned humanitarian trip abroad, not certain if she had the strength to participate. Ultimately, she traveled overseas and took part in a summer program called Coach for College in Vietnam, which combined education and sports to provide support to underprivileged children.

In addition to Coach for College and her swimming career, Claire has dedicated much of her spare time to helping others. She is Assistant Aquatic Director at her former high school, Germantown Academy, and is an active part in the Fran Crippen Elevation Foundation, which empowers and protects athletes pursuing their goals in addition to advocating for athlete safety. You can see Claire’s story below.

To see more great stories and videos from the Buick Human Highlight Reel, go to www.NCAA.com/Buick