Carly Piper
Encyclopedia
Carly Piper is an American
swimmer
and Olympic
gold medalist. As part of the American team, she held the world record in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay (long course).
, a defense contractor
, and her mother is an aerobics instructor. Piper has one older sister, Cortney, who is also a swimmer and swam for the University of Tennessee
. Piper is a 2001 graduate of Grosse Pointe North High School
in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan. Piper attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison
and graduated in 2006, majoring in zoology
. At the University of Wisconsin–Madison, she had a highly successful career on the women's swimming team and served as the team's captain
. She twice won Big Ten Conference
swimmer of the year honors and was an 18-time All-American. While still in school, and after she had exhausted her athletic eligibility, she served as a volunteer assistant coach
with the UW men’s and women’s swimming teams.
by finishing 5th in the 200-meter freesstyle. She also placed 6th in the 400-meter freesstyle.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens
, Greece
Piper won a gold medal in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay with Natalie Coughlin
, Kaitlin Sandeno
, and Dana Vollmer
that set the world record in the event. On December 20, 2004 it was declared "Carly Piper Day" in Piper's hometown of Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan for her accomplishments in Athens.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
swimmer
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
gold medalist. As part of the American team, she held the world record in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay (long course).
Personal
Piper was born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan in 1983, the daughter of Kenneth and Carol Ann Piper. Her father works for General DynamicsGeneral Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
, a defense contractor
Defense contractor
A defense contractor is a business organization or individual that provides products or services to a military department of a government. Products typically include military aircraft, ships, vehicles, weaponry, and electronic systems...
, and her mother is an aerobics instructor. Piper has one older sister, Cortney, who is also a swimmer and swam for the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
. Piper is a 2001 graduate of Grosse Pointe North High School
Grosse Pointe North High School
Grosse Pointe North High School, commonly called North, is a public high school in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The school opened in 1968 after Grosse Pointe High School was split into two schools, and Grosse Pointe North took the northern side of Grosse Pointe's students and...
in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan. Piper attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
and graduated in 2006, majoring in zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
. At the University of Wisconsin–Madison, she had a highly successful career on the women's swimming team and served as the team's captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
. She twice won Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
swimmer of the year honors and was an 18-time All-American. While still in school, and after she had exhausted her athletic eligibility, she served as a volunteer assistant coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
with the UW men’s and women’s swimming teams.
Swimming career
At the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Piper qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
by finishing 5th in the 200-meter freesstyle. She also placed 6th in the 400-meter freesstyle.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Piper won a gold medal in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay with Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Anne Coughlin is an American swimmer and eleven-time Olympic medallist.At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Coughlin became the first American female athlete in modern Olympic history to win six medals in one Olympics and the first woman ever to win a 100 m backstroke gold in two consecutive...
, Kaitlin Sandeno
Kaitlin Sandeno
Kaitlin Sandeno is a retired American swimmer, and was part of the team that set the world record in the 4x200 m freestyle relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics.-Career:...
, and Dana Vollmer
Dana Vollmer
Dana Vollmer is an American college and international swimmer and Olympic gold medalist. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece she won a gold medal in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay with Natalie Coughlin, Kaitlin Sandeno, and Carly Piper that set the world record in the event.She has won...
that set the world record in the event. On December 20, 2004 it was declared "Carly Piper Day" in Piper's hometown of Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan for her accomplishments in Athens.
External links
- USA Swimming bio: Carly Piper
- Carly Piper biography and Olympic results, from http://www.sports-reference.com/.
- University of Wisconsin–Madison bio: Carly Piper
- My Journey to the Olympics…and Back by Carly Piper