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Following a long history of Olympic success, UD’s Figure Skating community in mourning

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Following a long history of Olympic success, UD’s Figure Skating community in mourning


Those involved with the University of Delaware’s High Performance Figure Skating Center have celebrated many triumphs, including in the U.S. Nationals and Olympics.

On Thursday they endured the opposite extreme, mourning the deaths of one coach and two young skaters in a plane crash Wednesday night.

“With a heavy heart, we struggle to express the impact of this tragedy on our Blue Hen community,” UD athletic director Chrissi Rawak shared in a social-media message.

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Coach Alexandr Kirsanov and young skaters Angela Yang and Sean Kay died when the American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military helicopter on approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia.

Rawak paid tribute to Kirsanov, saying his “passion and commitment touched many lives, leaving a permanent mark on our campus.”

What was originally known as UD’s Ice Skating Science Development Center opened in 1987 when Ron Ludington, who had coached numerous national- and Olympic-level skaters, moved over from the Skating Club of Wilmington.

Though not operated by the university, the UD skating center is located at the school’s Fred Rust and Gold ice arenas located south of campus with other athletic facilities at the David M. Nelson Athletic Complex.

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Ludington retired in 2010 but maintained some involvement and died in 2020 at age 85. But the skating program has continued to thrive, with many of Ludington’s skaters becoming coaches at UD.

Among UD-based skaters who excelled at the highest levels were the 1992 Olympic pairs duo of Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval and 2006 world champion Kimmie Meissner. Three-time national champion and two-time Olympian Johnny Weir also got his start at UD.

The skating center was also a destination for those from other countries with high-level figure skaters, especially Russia.

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One of them, Oleg Ovsyannikov, sat in front of an international media throng in 1998 and said “I want to say thank you to all the people at the University of Delaware.” Around his neck was the silver medal he had just earned in ice dancing at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, with partner Anjelika Krylova.

Tara Lipinski, who had periodically trained at UD, soon after became the youngest figure-skating Olympic gold medalist when she won the women’s singles at age 15.

More than 30 figure skaters with ties to Delaware rinks competed in the Winter Olympics for the U.S. from 1972 through 2006, including eight at the 1984 Games and six in 1988.

That history has long made UD a draw for figure skaters with high aspirations. Emmanuel Savary, a long-time UD skater, placed 13th at the recent U.S. Championships in men’s singles.

“They get excited and see the possibility that maybe they can be there someday, that it’s a reality,” UD coach Pam Gregory told DelawareOnline/The News Journal before the 2018 Olympics.

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Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.



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1 killed in Delaware County apartment fire: Dozens of residents displaced

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1 killed in Delaware County apartment fire: Dozens of residents displaced


An apartment fire in Delaware County killed one person and injured seven on Saturday, while displacing dozens more.

Upper Darby apartment fire

What we know:

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Firefighters were called out to the Llanerch Place apartment building on Township Line Road in Upper Darby Township around 10:30 a.m. Saturday. When they got there, they found a fire on the second floor of the three-story building.

Firefighters pulled two people from the flames and paramedics took them to the hospital. One of them died at the hospital, according to the Upper Darby Township Fire Department. The other is in critical condition. 

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Six other people were also injured, but officials said none of their injuries were life-threatening.

Crews were eventually able to put out the fire, but there was significant damage to the building, between fire, smoke and water damage. 

The approximately 75 people who live in the building were all displaced by the fire.

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What we don’t know:

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear. The UDFD Fire Marshalls, the Upper Darby Township Police Department and the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshalls are investigating the fire.

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The Source: Information in this story is from the Upper Darby Township Fire Department.

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State Police Investigating a Single-Vehicle Fatal Crash in Delmar – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware

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State Police Investigating a Single-Vehicle Fatal Crash in Delmar – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware


Date Posted: Saturday, December 20th, 2025

Delaware State Police are investigating a single-vehicle fatal crash that occurred Friday evening in Delmar.

On December 19, 2025, at approximately 6:30 p.m., a Toyota Tundra was traveling westbound on Bacons Road, just west of Bi State Boulevard. As the vehicle approached a left-hand curve, it exited the north edge of the roadway, struck a utility pole, and overturned multiple times.

The driver, a 24-year-old man from Delmar, Delaware, was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His name is being withheld until his family is notified.

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Bacons Road was closed for approximately 7 hours while members of the Delaware State Police Troop 7 Collision Reconstruction Unit conducted their on-scene investigation and utility crews replaced the damaged pole.

The investigation is ongoing. Troopers ask anyone who witnessed the crash to contact Master Corporal R. Albert at (302) 703- 3266. Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.

If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of a crime or have lost a loved one to a sudden death and need assistance, the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit / Delaware Victim Center is available to offer you support and resources 24 hours a day through a toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). You may also email the Victim Services Unit at DSP_VictimServicesMail@delaware.gov.

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Delaware Valley rolls in home win over High Point – Wrestling recap

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Delaware Valley rolls in home win over High Point – Wrestling recap


Delaware Valley picked up five bonus point wins to take a 40-29 home dual win over High Point in Frenchtown.

Luke Cyphert started the dual at 215 with a pin over High Point’s Kaleb DeFalco. Julian Bednar (120), and Tristian Fawthrop (132) also won via pin.

Oliver Paul gave the Terriers (3-0) five points off a 21-6 tech over John McCarthy at 175, Michael Hasson took a 23-7 tech over Tyler Brarman at 144 and state qualifier Sebastian Dobak earned a 7-1 decision over Gerard Empirio at 150. Vincent Rainey outlasted Thomas Jaust at 113 for a 7-4 sudden victory win.

Trey Falkenstein picked up a forfeit at 138 to make it a four match sweep for Del Val between 132 and 150.

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Luke Tompkins recorded a pin for the Wildcats (1-1) at 157 while Jack Kitchart picked up a pin at 190. Region 1 third place finisher Gavin Mericle took a 2-1 decision win over Luken Alberdi at 285, Logan Takach recorded a 7-3 decision over Tanner Donaruma at 126 and Jayden Ruplall earned five points at 165 with a 17-1 tech over Rylan Bush.



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