Former Virginia swimmer Fran Crippen dies during World Cup race

Former Virginia swimmer Fran Crippen, 26, died Saturday while competing in a World Cup marathon race in the United Arab Emirates. Crippen was competing for the United States in the open water event.

Crippen fell unconscious during the final leg of the 10-kilometer race in Fujairah, according to Swimming World. Nearly two hours after every other swimmer had finished the event, deep sea divers found Crippen just before the final buoy. The water temperature was reported to have been in the mid- to high-80s, and several swimmers were treated for heat exhaustion at a nearby hospital after the event.

A native of Conshohocken, Pa., Crippen was an 11-time all-American at Virginia and was named Atlantic Coast Conference swimmer of the year in 2003 and 2004. He finished third in the 10-kilometer swim at the 2009 World Championships in Rome. Crippen was named in September the Male Open Water Swimmer of the Year by USA Swimming. He won six U.S. national titles in his career.

One of Crippen's sisters, Claire, is a senior swimmer at Virginia. Another, Teresa, swims at Florida. Maddy, his oldest sister, was an NCAA champion swimmer at Villanova and was a member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team.

Mark Bernardino, Virginia swimming and diving coach, is expected to release a statement through the athletic department later today. He and Claire are en route to the Crippen family's home in Pennsylvania.