The daughter of Xavier Alumnus is making Olympic-sized waves in the world of swimming. Simone Manuel has Xavier excellence in her DNA. Her mom, Sharron Manuel (née Griffin) was a 1989 XULA College of Pharmacy program graduate while her dad, Marc Manuel was a 1988 XULA graduate. However, it is the legacy of athletic excellence that began with her father Marc, who played basketball at Xavier from 1984-1988, that Simone wants to continue.  

A Xavierite by proxy, Simone emerged from the pool victorious in the 50m freestyle at the US Olympic swimming trials held this past week in the Hoosier state (Indiana). Clinching this victory guarantees Simone a spot in an individual event where she will compete for one of the three precious Olympic medals–– Gold, Silver, or Bronze. Her family and the Xavier community are ready to cheer her on so she can make the biggest splash of all––bring home the gold!