Former Pac-12 champion Cameron Craig’s comeback at Drury University appears to have been cut short, leaving the top-ranked team in Division II without one of its best swimmers as championship season approaches.
Craig no longer appears on the Panthers’ roster, and he hasn’t competed for them since the SMU Invitational last November. There, he won the 100 free in 43.25, his fastest time since 2019 and only about a second off his personal best from 2017. Craig was also a key piece of Drury’s 400 free relay team that took third place in 2:55.22.
Neither Craig nor Drury head coach Brian Reynolds returned requests for comment.
Last October, Craig told SwimSwam that this season marked his final year of NCAA eligibility after prior stints at Arizona State and Ohio State. He didn’t finish his junior season in Columbus following two DUI arrests in early 2020. Following a two-year break from the sport, he resurfaced last fall with the Panthers’ D-II program located in Springfield, Missouri.
“I’m hoping to just do it right,” Craig said. “I owe it to myself.”
Craig was a budding star at ASU, showing serious promise by placing fifth in the 200-yard freestyle at the 2017 NCAA Championships as a freshman. His winning time of 1:31.71 in the 200 free at Pac-12s set a new meet record and ranked him as the eighth-fastest performer ever in the event. As a sophomore, he repeated as Pac-12 champion in the 200 free (1:33.09) before transferring to Ohio State in 2019.
Drury’s attention now turns to preparing for the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship on Feb. 8 in addition to the NCAA D-II National Championship on March 8.
Crazy how people think they can comment on a situation with only what is given to them through a few articles. Maybe sit back and think what his home life was like or what could have possibly led to this when he was younger. I’m sure many of you have made mistakes and thought to yourself that it’s fine and it shouldn’t matter to others. Cameron is an amazing guy through and through. But at least he took a chance to better his life and maybe he did in the long run by choosing Drury. Not many of you could say that if you were at his level or position.
I will spend as much time thinking about his life as you have spent thinking about the lives of people he put at risk while drinking and driving.
TBH this was not a big deal to me until y’all came in here and acted like everyone else is a bad person for talking about a great swimmer being done with his college career. It’s just so obtuse. You could’ve just left it at “hey, it’s fair for people to be interested in one of the best D2 swimmers not finishing the season” and not had to make it all personal, but you’ve opened this can of worms.
Seems pretty personal to you. Leave the guy alone, people make mistakes no let him move on with his life. Out here acting like you can judge someone based on news stories that don’t give the whole truth. Get outta here w that
I have zero room to really comment about this but what I will say that pertains to this is that I’m surprised that this is the second big name swimmer no longer competing for Drury. Albeit slightly different situations but I really don’t know what else to say. Not at all implying anything here just find everything very coincidental that this isn’t the first time this has happened especially within the past 2 years.
Both of them struggled in the classroom.
Such an unfortunate situation, but I don’t understand why so many people are trying to protect this kid. He got the 2nd chance he wanted, and then went and blew it.
Given that Cameron has multiple DUIs, drug charges, and was arrested for domestic assault (the domestic assault charges were ultimately dropped), Brian Reynolds took a huge risk giving him a second chance (and received quite a bit of backlash from other GLVC/D2 coaches). According to Cameron’s teammates, he skipped most of his classes and went to parties almost every night. The reason he is no longer on Drury’s roster is because he failed his classes and is now academically ineligible. He did that to himself and it’s time for… Read more »
This was his third chance.
Reynolds took a ‘risk’ because Craig is a very fast swimmer that could help him place higher at NCAAs. Do you really think a 48 second 100 freestyler would have gotten the same opportunity? Most coaches would have done the same thing so I don’t blame him.
^^^and this is why accountability matters.
Reynolds, who doesn’t have a great track record of accountability, took a risk on a guy who could’ve killed someone by drunk-driving twice (that he got caught), was charged with domestic violence (charges were dropped), and who attacked everyone in his path the first go around.
Through all of his 2nd and 3rd and 4th chances, people just kept telling him it was okay, attacking others on his behalf – but apparently nobody sat Cameron down and had a serious conversation about his lifestyle choices.
More and more chances are great. But if you’re the somebody who keeps giving someone more chances, you need to understand the responsibility that comes along with that.
And… Read more »
Agree…he definitely let many people down on his path of greatness. It seems that he is one of those naturally talented kids who can and could have done great things for themselves and their teams…
This is far from the whole truth. People who aren’t involved need to drop it and stop discussing it online like you know or like if affects you in the slightest. The guy has been through more than most should ever have to at his age, but as someone who is very close to the situation, he did not go to parties every night and has struggled with classes but let’s be honest, many people do. It’s time for you people to leave the guy alone and let him earn his degree and move on in his life. Do you really think all this negative talk is going to help this guy get anywhere? Mind your business
Coming from somebody close to the program (Mods can verify with email) some of y’all need to chill tf out. I appreciate that most commenters at least can see a human being behind a hyperlinked name and have wished him well. But some of y’all think you can read between the lines of a headline so deep that you can insinuate you know a person and their relationship with their swim program as well as you know your own child. I wonder what you would think if there was a headline “(Local Swimmer) misses goal time at end of season; questions arise on whether they tried hard enough” about you or your swimmer. Same people on here claiming internet victory… Read more »
D2 Swimmers: WAAAAHHHH COVER US MOREE WAAAAAHHHH WE WORK HARDER THAN D1 SWIMMERS WAAAAHHHH
Also D2 swimmers: WAHHHHHHHHH DONT COVER THE ABSENCE OF THE BEST SWIMMER ON THE BESR D2 TEAM WAAHHHHHH.
Don’t beg for the spotlight if you’re going to get pissed when it finds you.
There’s a difference between reporting on division 2 swimming and going out of your way to report on someone who may or may not be able to swim for a semester. When you don’t have the full story, don’t make assumptions. As someone who knows Cameron, I can say he is a very good guy who has had some difficulties in his life. Swimming doesn’t define him as a person and I am glad I can call him a friend. People like you commenting on stories like this as if you know the guy is ridiculous. Do better, worry about your own life without judging someone you don’t even know.
“Going out of your way to report” on a former D1 All-American being removed from a college roster in what is likely his final year of eligibility is, in fact, reporting on D2 swimming. It is extremely newsworthy given the profile of the swimmer and the program. Wouldn’t be surprised if you and “Insider?” are burners for Cameron Craig given how much you want to defend him.
You fine it hard that people want to defend their friend and somebody they actually know on a personal level? Get out of here, you are making judgements on someone you don’t know about things you don’t know. Get a life, leave the guy alone.
Yeah because D2 swimmers say this all the time? Stop being so negative about others, go find a hobby
While I respect your desire to speak positively about Mr. Craig and respect his privacy, I disagree with much of what you are saying. This absolutely makes sense to be an article, considering SwimSwam previously covered and gotten comments from Craig regarding his desire to finish up right at Drury. Your analogy about the headline is also pretty apple-to-oranges because as you note, this is a notable swimmer attached to a notable program–this is a swimming news website, this is swimming news, and it was reported on in an objective manner, nothing opinionated or editorial about it. As someone said, if people expect and want swimming coverage to expand, it will have to cover both the good and the ugly… Read more »
Well said and agree 100% let’s show some compassion for our fellow swimmer/ athletes and support. It’s the decent thing to do ❤💪🏽🧠🏊♀️🏊🏼♂️
It’s hard not to read something into the story that isn’t stated openly. Not sure but maybe it’s time to root for him as a human if no longer as a swimmer.
Completely forgot this guy was 5th at NCs in 2017. Those 200 free fields were lowkey pretty loaded at the top with Haas, Peironi, etc.
DUDEEEEE. What happened?
Play stupid games…
was just about to comment this. Hope he’s okay though