On Feb. 3 the Ohio State synchronized swimming team will prepare like any other meet, but this one will be different.

This will be the first annual Jessica Beck Memorial Meet.

Beck, 21, a native from Richmond, Va., died on Sept. 15, 2005 in her sleep.

“I spoke with Jessica the day before, I was driving back to college, OSU, from California with her roommate,” junior Julia Broadfoot said.

Beck, had a heart condition called mitral valve prolapse (MVP).

According to the Richmond Times Dispatch, “the preliminary autopsy results indicated the condition may have caused a cardiac arrhythmia, leading to her death,” said Franklin County coroner Dr. Bradley J. Lewis.

“MVP is a disorder that affects one of your heart’s valves- the mitral valve. It occurs when the valve doesn’t close correctly, allowing backward leaking of blood in your heart,” according to MayoClinic.com.

MVP in her teammate’s eyes stood for most valuable player.

“She was really motivating in and out of the pool,” junior Leah Pinette said.

Beck was not only motivated in the pool with her teammates, but shined in the class room.

She began her career at OSU in 2003 and was majoring in communications. For three-consecutive years she was an Academic All-America accolades, OSU Scholar-Athlete award winner, two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, and was named to the Dean’s List.

Academics come first in any athletes mind, but your team does not fall far behind.

As part of the squad Beck, was on the “B” team, which is known today as the “Gray Team.”

As a sophomore, she led the Scarlet Team to second place at the North Regional Championships, third at the OSU College Association Meet and fourth at the Collegiate National Championships.

Her junior year, she guided the Scarlet team to regain the bronze medal at U.S. Collegiate National Championships. Beck was also a member of the first place trio routine at the Maize and Blue Innovational and placed second in the trio performance at the Walsh Invitational.

The meet will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. The Buckeyes will be hosting Michigan, Miami, Ohio and William & Mary.

“During the meet, some people will be wearing T-shirts we made last year, that says, in loving memory, Jessica Beck,” Broadfoot said.

“She was very friendly, when you met her it felt like you had known her forever,” Pinette said.

In so many eyes Jessica will forever be remembered but never forgotten. 

Megan Blake can be reached at [email protected].