by Lisa M. Chmiola
Staff Writer
Former Olympian and award-winning University of Houston diver Hilary Grivich died in an automobile accident at 6:15 a.m. Sunday.
According to a Houston Police Department report, Grivich's 1993 Nissan Altima was traveling inbound on Interstate 45 near the North Main bridge when the left front tire of the vehicle hit a guard rail.
The impact caused Grivich's car to spin and flip until it landed upside down. The motion of the car caused severe head injuries.
"She was deceased at the scene," said HPD Sgt. Jesse Foroi Jr. "She was alone in the car. She was wearing her seat belt."
Grivich's vehicle, Foroi said, was the only one involved in the accident, and he added that HPD does not know if any other factors, such as excessive speed or alcohol, contributed to her death. "The investigation is not complete."
Grivich was always happy and smiling, said swimmer and senior biophysics major Nicola Clegg.
"She was just so full of life," Clegg said. "She was (always) just bouncing everywhere - she had so much energy."
Swimmer April Dodd agreed, and said, "She always tried to make people smile. I can't believe it happened at such a young age."
The 19-year-old sophomore University Studies major was an alternate on the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team in 1992 and competed in gymnastics for 13 years under the coaching of Bela Karolyi.
In her high school diving career, Grivich qualified for the 1994 Outdoor Senior Nationals on the one-meter board and placed fourth on synchronized three-meter at the 1995 Senior Nationals.
As a UH diver, Grivich finished fifth in the 1996 Southwest Conference Championships. She finished fifth in the three-meter springboard diving event and sixth on the one-meter board at this year's National Collegiate Athletic Association Zone D Championships.
Grivich was also named the UH diving team's most valuable player Wednesday at the fourth-annual spring athletics banquet.
"She liked to have fun at the meets," said Dodd, a freshman University Studies major. "While she was competing, she stayed focused really well."
Dodd added that Grivich always wanted to succeed in her diving, pushing for a first-place finish and never allowing herself to settle for second or third place.
Fellow diver and sophomore elementary education major Noel Lewandowski agreed, saying, "She was a great teammate - she always made me work hard. Now that she's gone, I appreciate all that she's done for me."
A wake for Grivich will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Settegast-Kopf Funeral Home, 3320 Kirby Drive. Grivich's funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the same location.