In 2017, Allison Baver announced her retirement from short track skating to focus on her fashion career. In October, she partnered with the Susan G. Komen organization to donate a portion of her clothing line sales to support breast cancer research. Learn more at allisonbaver.com and read our profile of her below, originally published in February 2016.
Graduate on Ice
I always had the goal of being in the Olympics and winning a medal.
said U.S. champion speed skater Allison Baver. She has qualified for the Olympic team and represented her country in three different Olympics. Not limiting her sights to the Olympics, in 2007, she won the U.S. Short Track Championship Allison currently holds more World Cup championship medals (12) than any other female short track speed skater in U.S. history.
Ice Dreams
Allison’s lifelong goal of earning an Olympic medal finally came true at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. She and fellow Team USA skaters earned the bronze in the 3,000-meter women’s relay speed skating event.
Model Skater
Allison signed with Wilhelmina Models’ athlete division in the fall of 2008. She has also been featured in magazines including ESPN Body Shots, Women’s Health, Men’s Health, Esquire, Muscle & Fitness, Living Social, and Bloomberg Business Week. Allison is not camera shy when it comes to television either. She has appeared on ABC’s Extreme Makeover, Bravo’s Millionaire Matchmaker, and NBC’s Hell’s Kitchen. She also Co-hosted the TV pilot HOPE SPORT.
Championing Good Causes
Giving back is a huge part of Allison’s success. In 2008, Allison took the advice of her sister, Crystal, and encouraged her teammates to join her in creating an adopt-a-family program to help others in need. She served on the US Olympic Committee Athlete Advisory Council and is a founding member of Champions for America’s Future an organization for athletes, coaches, and sports administrators to actively advocate on policy issues that will protect, promote, and ensure better opportunities for future generations. Her good work in the community has not gone unnoticed. In 2010 she served as the Penn State University Homecoming Grand Marshall and won the 2011 Penn State University Alumni Achievement Award. In 2015 she was the All Sports United Humanitarian Award Winner.
Determined Spirit
Life for an Olympic athlete isn’t all trophies and cereal boxes. One injury left Allison with nearly 50 stitches on her face, and another collision put her in a wheelchair. In both cases, she found the strength to compete again and achieve even greater success. In February 2009, Allison broke her leg when another skater collided with her during the Ladies 1,500-meter A final at the International Skating Union World Cup in Bulgaria. Despite this latest setback, she is determined to train even harder. I always look forward and never lose faith in believing what’s possible.
Definition of Success
Success is determined not only by whether or not I accomplish my goal, but by what others think of my character in that effort. It’s also about knowing I tried my absolute best.
Education on the Go
Allison chose NYIT because its online courses were the perfect fit to match the hectic pace of her career.
Downtime?
When she’s not reaching speeds of 35 miles per hour on the ice, Allison enjoys shopping, hiking, movies, yoga, and dancing. However, with her intense training schedule, I never get to do most of these things!
Favorite thing:
A Favorite memory: Connecting with NYIT’s diverse students! My experience was a ton of fun.
