College basketball player dies after suffering injury during game
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A Connors State College basketball player has died after suffering a head injury during a game, school officials said.
Sophomore Ethan Dietz died Tuesday, the school said in a statement posted to its Facebook page.
School spokeswoman Shannon Rigsby said initial reports indicate Dietz suffered some type of head injury.
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The ball falls through the rim during the third quarter of a Mid-American Conference regular-season women’s basketball game between the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks and the Toledo Rockets on Jan. 25, 2023, at Savage Arena in Toledo, Ohio. (Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“The Cowboy family has suffered an unimaginable loss. As you know, sophomore Ethan Dietz was injured during a men’s basketball game on Saturday. He passed away this morning, Nov. 25,” the school’s statement read.
“Ethan exemplified what it means to be a Cowboy, value hard work and be part of a team. As the team and the Cowboy community process our own grief, our hearts go out to his family and friends.
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Several games were canceled after Dietz’s death. (iStock)
“The loss of Ethan reminds us all how precious life is and how much those around us impact our lives. As we navigate this loss together as a community, let us be inspired by Ethan’s spirit, friendship and love.”
Several of the university’s men’s and women’s basketball games were canceled after Dietz’s death.
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Dietz averaged 11 points per game. (iStock)
Dietz was a 6-foot-8 forward from Vilonia, Arkansas, who averaged 11 points per game in eight games this season. He had eight points and four rebounds in 20 minutes on Saturday before getting hurt.
A vigil in his honor is planned for December 1 on the university’s campus in Warner, Oklahoma.
The News contributed to this report.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to Title IX enforcement and in mainstream media outlets such as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The News and ESPN.com.