Southern Nazarene University, a Division II institution, announced on Thursday that sophomore safety Tyler Ulrich passed away less than a week after sustaining injuries during a game against Ouachita Baptist. He was 21 years old.
The university informed WFAA 8 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Wednesday that Ulrich had experienced a “traumatic injury” during the game. He remained in critical condition, and the match was paused for 45 minutes as he received urgent medical care, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
“This loss resonates deeply throughout our campus,” stated the university in a release. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends, teammates, and all those who were fortunate enough to know him. We invite you to join us in offering them prayers during this challenging time.”
Earlier on Thursday, Mark Ulrich, Tyler’s father, shared on Facebook that his son had sustained a head injury in the game and expressed, “we genuinely need a miracle.”
“Our family feels incredibly blessed by the outpouring of love and prayers for our young Tyler, and we are profoundly thankful,” Mark Ulrich wrote Thursday afternoon. “However, despite all the support and love we received, it is with great sorrow that I must share the Lord called Tyler home this morning at 11:13 a.m.”
A GoFundMe campaign set up for the Ulrich family had raised nearly $14,000 as of Thursday afternoon.
Ulrich had participated in all six of SNU’s games thus far and was the team’s third-leading tackler with 39 tackles. The Crimson Storm holds a record of 1-5 as they prepare for their upcoming matchup against Southwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday.
