The Women’s Sports Foundation has awarded $72,000 in grants to 17 athletes and 2 teams through their Travel & Training Fund program, including USA National Team swimmer Hellen Moffitt.
Moffitt, a member of the 2017-2018 USA Swimming National Team, finished 3rd in the 50 fly and 5th in the 100 fly at the 2018 US National Championships, which will likely earn her a spot on the American team for next summer’s Pan American Games. That should also put her on the 2018-2019 US National Team, but because she is not ranked in the top 16 in the world in the 100 fly (only Olympic events are considered), she is not eligible to receive a monthly stipend from USA Swimming under the Athlete Partnership Agreement.
The Travel & Training Fund grant received will help cover Moffitt’s costs to fund monthly coaching costs, strength-training costs, and travel costs that are not covered by USA Swimming. According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, the grant will help Moffitt take time off from her job as a supply chain specialist at Foodbuy USA and focus on training full-time.
Moffitt, a graduate of the University of North Carolina, trains in San Diego with Team Elite. She is a former All-American at UNC, where she still holds school records in the 100 yard back, 200 yard back, and 100 yard fly. In 2017, she won gold in the 100 meter fly at the 2017 World University Games, along with a medley relay silver medal.
She also took a gold in the medley relay at the 2016 World Short Course Championships as a prelims-only participant.
To see the full list of recipients and their bios, click here.