All-Collegiate synchronized swimmer and Durban, South Africa native Shannon Crowder may have left the country to study and train at Keuka College, but her achievements have not gone unnoticed back home.

Crowder was named the 2008 Synchronized Swimmer of the Year for South Africa at a ceremony held in Midrand, South Africa Oct. 4.

“This award is really special to me because I am still being recognized even though I am training here in the USA,” said the junior organizational communication major.

Crowder was unable to fly home for the event, but her mother accepted the award on her behalf.

“I heard that it was a fabulous night with wonderful food, great entertainment, and an assortment of highly recognized athletes, coaches and administrators of aquatics,” said Crowder. “I was happy that my mom was there to accept my award. I owe a lot of my success to my parents who have supported, encouraged and funded me along the way.”

Crowder chose to come to the United States to further her synchronized swimming training because “there is limited coaching at an elite level in South Africa.”

She also wanted to study to become an event planner.

“Collegiate synchro seemed like the ultimate option,” said Crowder. “I developed a great relationship with the head coach here, Nancy Wightman, and the rest is history.”

A member of the South African national team, Crowder earned U.S. Synchronized Swimming Association All-Collegiate honors as a freshman and sophomore. At the 2008 Collegiate Nationals, she finished 10^th in the solo, ninth in the trio, and eighth in the team event, helping the Storm to a sixth place finish.

A world traveler (her passport contains a “ridiculous amount of stamps to other countries”), Crowder “loves the freedom and safety you find in the USA as well as the built-in charm of the American people.”

At this point, she’s not sure where she’ll end up following graduation.

“I come from a beautiful country that is most certainly still home,” said Crowder. “But I’ve always been a person that can not keep still for very long.”

-- Tanya Cornell-Kestler