Three-time American Olympian Elizabeth Beisel has joined SPIRE Institute and Academy as its international swim ambassador, the school announced Tuesday.
Beisel, 27, competed at three Olympic Games, winning silver in the 400 individual medley and bronze in the 200 backstroke at the London Games in 2012. She also has three individual gold medals at the Pan Pacific Championships and won the 400 IM at the 2011 World Championships. She was a team captain for the U.S. swimming delegation to the 2016 Olympics.
Retiring after the 2017 World Championships, the Rhode Island native who competed at the University of Florida was a contestant on the 39th season of the CBS reality show Survivor and wrote a best-selling memoir, Silver Linings. She’s also been part of numerous athlete mentoring and advocacy efforts.
“I am thrilled to be a part of the SPIRE family for so many reasons,” Beisel said in a press release. “They emphasize world class academics for student-athletes grades 9-12, all while providing the finest athletic facilities in North America on their campus. SPIRE’s values align perfectly with mine; highlighting the importance of academics, athletics, personal skills development, and career path preparation. I look forward to leading my own programs within SPIRE’s curriculum, covering several topics from leadership to ocean conservation. My goal while working with SPIRE is to educate and inspire young student-athletes who will one day end up being the future of not just our sport, but our community as well.”
SPIRE Institute and Academy, located in Geneva, Ohio, includes a 10-lane, 50-meter Olympic pool at its aquatic complex, plus a diving area, 25-yard recreation pool and four therapeutic pools. The facility has hosted USA Swimming meets and college league championships for the Big East and Atlantic 10.
A college prep school is attached for athletes to pair athletic training with personal skills development and career path training.
“We are very excited to welcome Elizabeth Beisel to the team at SPIRE,” said Jonathan Ehrenfeld, the President and CEO of Blue Ocean, which leads SPIRE Institute’s ownership group, Axxella, LLC. “We believe her ambassadorship will bring great value to the amazing swimming program at SPIRE. Her expertise, knowledge, enthusiasm, and warmth will serve to benefit many of our students.”