“An unthinkable tragedy” - Riley Gaines expresses grief over University of Wyoming swimmers' mishap

Riley Gaines recently expressed her grief at the horrific car accident suffered by five students from the University of Wyoming. The incident claimed the lives of three members of the university’s swimming and diving team, and left two others brutally injured.

On February 24, students from the University of Wyoming experienced a car crash in their Toyota RAV4 SUV in the afternoon. The accident took place at the intersection of U.S. Highway 287 and Red Mountain Road at the Wyoming-Colorado border.

A press release by the University of Wyoming stated that the “driver swerved, and the vehicle went off the road, rolling multiple times.” The accident is currently under further investigation.

The incident led to numerous reactions on social media, with former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines expressing her grief via a post on her X (formerly Twitter) handle. She shared a picture of the three swimmers who lost their lives - Charlie Clark, Luke Slabber, and Carson Muir - and penned a note which read:

“Three swimmers from UoWyoming have died in a fatal car accident with two other swimmers being injured. They were competing at their conference championships this week. An unthinkable tragedy. Prayers to their families, friends, and the Cowboy community. ”

Charlie Clark, 19, was a sophomore psychology major from Las Vegas. Luke Slabber from Cape Town, South Africa, was a 21-year-old was studying construction management. Carson Muir, 18, was a freshman on the women’s swimming and diving team. The Birmingham, Alabama native, was pursuing a major in veterinary sciences.

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Riley Gaines supported the University of Wyoming’s sorority sisters

House Oversight Committee Holds Hearing Examining Female Athletics And Title IX

In October 2023, Riley Gaines visited the University of Wyoming to extend her support for the sorority sisters who were involved in a lawsuit against the Kappa Kappa Gamma (KKG).

The collegiate sorority made headlines for accepting a transgender woman as its member. This led to several members of the KKG protesting against the sorority for accepting a transwoman. Students from the University of Wyoming were also involved in the lawsuit and received plenty of public backlash.

However, Riley Gaines supported their decision. She visited the university and spent time with them, while also clicking pictures with the students and sharing them on Instagram. Gaines captioned her post:

"Sororities are for sisters, not misters!! I was SO glad to be able to visit Wyoming and spend some time with some of the incredibly brave sorority girls suing KKG for allowing a male to strip them of the sisterhood they were promised."

She added:

"They're paving the way for all girls and give me hope for the future."