Success continues to follow Beisel

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - If one word was needed to describe elite swimmer and North Kingstown native Elizabeth Beisel, no one could go wrong with "winner."

As Beisel prepares for the SEC Swimming and Diving Championships as a freshman at the University of Florida, she can already look back at a record-setting previous 12 months.

Beisel won two gold medals at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships this summer swimming against some of the world's best.  That was followed by being named to the U.S. World Championship Team that will compete in Shanghai, China in summer of 2011.

“She certainly has all of the tools. Right now she is top three in the world in several events, so if she isn’t part of the U.S. team, then we are probably not going to be as good of a team,” Gregg Troy, Beisel's coach at Florida, said.

Beisel has set records at the collegiate level as well.  She was named SEC Swimmer of the Week again this week.  It was the fourth time she's gotten the honor this season, a new single season record for the conference.

“Elizabeth is a tremendously gifted athlete. She swims a lot of different things and brings a great work ethic to the program," Troy said.  "On top of that, she just has a very light personality and kind of a team bonder. She keeps the team together and has a very exciting personality; very energetic at competitions and on a day-to-day basis at practice. Since she is so versatile, she has made us better in a lot of different aspects. It is tremendous having someone like that around that can swim so many things.”

And last week, Beisel got one more honor back at home.  She was named Rhode Island Female Athlete of the Year for the third consecutive year by Words Unlimited, a Rhode Island organization of sportswriters, sportscasters and sports publicists.

“I’m very excited and privileged to again be honored with such a prestigious award,” Beisel said. “I appreciate everything the state of Rhode Island has done for me – especially my family."