A 21-year-old Division II football player, Tyler Ulrich, passed away five days after suffering a serious injury during a game. Ulrich, a sophomore at Southern Nazarene University (SNU) in Oklahoma, sustained the injury this past Saturday.
The school, located in Bethany, Oklahoma, did not disclose the exact cause of Ulrich’s death. However, it was confirmed that he suffered a head injury. The Southern Nazarene Athletics Department expressed their sorrow on social media, stating, “It is with heavy hearts that we share the loss of our SNU football player, Tyler Ulrich.” They extended their condolences to his family, friends, and teammates, asking supporters to keep them in their thoughts.
Head coach Dustin Hada paid tribute to Ulrich as a “man of God, ultimate example of quiet strength, loyal, worker, joyous.” Mark Ulrich, Tyler’s father, shared that the family was grateful for the support and prayers received. He noted the unfortunate passing of his son, who was hoped to make a recovery, stating, “The Lord called Tyler this morning at 11:13 a.m.”
The injury occurred during a game that was paused for nearly an hour while Ulrich received medical attention on the field. He was subsequently transported to a hospital. Tyler had been a key player for SNU, starting in 16 out of his 20 games for the team and recording 36 tackles this season.
SNU canceled their upcoming game at Southwestern Oklahoma State to mourn his passing.
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