LARAMIE, Wyo. — While University of Wyoming athletes and Colorado State University athletes usually find themselves on opposing sides of the Border War rivalry, the two programs came together in a showing of solidarity after three members of the UW swimming and diving team died Thursday in a crash.
On Friday morning, Colorado State social media pages posted pictures of CSU swimmers with UW logos and messages of support drawn on their bodies.
“Swimming with our rivals in our hearts today,” the Colorado State Swim and Dive page on X, formerly known as Twitter, wrote in a post.
The Thursday afternoon single-vehicle wreck took the lives of Charlie Clark, 19, a sophomore on the men’s team and a psychology major from Las Vegas; Carson Muir, 18, a freshman on the women’s team and an animal and veterinary sciences major from Birmingham, Alabama; and Luke Slabber, 21, a junior on the men’s team studying construction management from Cape Town, South Africa.
The crash occurred on US Highway 287 at 2:45 p.m., according to a news release from the university. Two other student athletes required medical attention after incurring non-lethal injuries in the crash.
“I am heartbroken to learn of the tragic deaths of three University of Wyoming student athletes in a motor vehicle accident on US 287 in Colorado,” Gov. Mark Gordon stated in a release. “Jennie and I join the entire university community and all of Wyoming in mourning this loss, and we ask you to keep their families, friends and loved ones close to your hearts during this difficult time.”
