TUSCALOOSA, Alabama, April 29. THE Southeastern Conference has been filled with sorrow the past week with Florida diving coach Donnie Craine dying in a boat accident, and the hits kept coming when news broke this morning that Alabama swimmer John Servati died as part of a tornado hitting Tuscaloosa last night.
Servati, 21, a junior swimmer at Alabama was killed according to school spokesperson Shane Dorrill. Servati died at the DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa after being injured at a house near the university campus. He had been taking cover in the basement of a home.
“I understand that he was in a house off-campus and was hit by a retaining wall,” Dorrill said. “I don’t know how it happened. I do know he was with his girlfriend and she is uninjured.”
Servati was a freestyle and backstroke swimmer for the Crimson Tide, having helped the team to a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Championships last month.
Swimming World has contacted Alabama athletics and is awaiting a response.