SEWANEE RUGBY News > Tragedy Strikes Sewanee Crew Club

10/01/09: Two students of the crew team died early this morning and two others were seriously injured in a two-vehicle accident on Highway 41A at the intersection of Airport Road.

Kathryn Christiansen, C'12, of Chattanooga, and Kathleen Beach, C'13, of Clarksville, TN, were pronounced dead at the scene, Arden Jones, C'13, of Greenwood, VA, and Anna Summs, C'13, of Cookeville, TN, were transported to Emerald-Hodgson Hospital and airlifted to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga.

The students were traveling to crew practice at Lake Dimmick around 6 a.m. when their vehicle crossed 41A from Missouri Avenue and was struck by an 18-wheeler traveling northbound toward Monteagle. The driver of truck was not injured in the accident. Sewanee Police and Fire Department, along with the Grundy and Sewanee EMS responded to the call.

The Crew and Rugby Clubs are the largest of the University Club organizations and hold a warm respect for each other. Both clubs have successfully fostered the club ideals over those of the more structured Varsity Sport system. Both Clubs have enjoyed great success – last year was one of the best in Crew’s history.

The Rugby Club is deeply shocked, all the more so because this tragedy has struck a fellow club organization and brought such unimaginable grief and pain to parents, siblings, family, friends and the Sewanee community.

10/3/09: In a moving and emotional ceremony at Lake Dimmick, the crew members launched and boarded their 8-man skiff with one seat left empty in a tribute to Katie Christiansen and Kathleen Beach.