Mississippi State freshman football player Sam Westmoreland has unexpectedly died, coach Mike Leach announced Wednesday.
The offensive lineman’s cause of death is unknown at this time. However, Mississippi State noted that it is working with the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office, the Oktibbeha County Coroner’s Office, the MSU Division of Student Affairs and the MSU Athletics Department to learn more about the incident.
There will be no information released regarding Westmoreland’s death until the assessment is done.
“The Mississippi State Athletics Family is heartbroken by the sudden death of Sam Westmoreland, a freshman student-athlete with our football program,” Leach’s statement read. “Sam was a beloved son, brother and teammate, and a tremendous young man with a limitless future. He will always be remembered and deeply missed by everyone who knew and loved him.”
Meantime, the Mississippi State community is mourning the loss of the 18-year-old from Tupelo, Miss.
“One of the most profound lessons I’ve learned while leading this great university is that the tragic loss of one of our students diminishes all of our students — and all of us at Mississippi State feel the impact of Sam Westmoreland’s death,” MSU president Mark E. Keenum said in a statement. “My prayers are with Sam’s family and friends, with his MSU teammates and coaches, and with the Tupelo community during this most difficult time.”
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