Mississippi State officials said a freshman offensive lineman on its football team has died.
On Wednesday, the team announced the passing of 19-year-old Sam Westmoreland on its official Twitter account.
"The Mississippi State Athletics Family is heartbroken by the sudden death of Sam Westmoreland," head coach Mike Leach said in a statement. "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. The entire MSU Family mourns as our thoughts and prayers go out to the Westmoreland family. Our highest priority is the support of the Westmoreland family and our student-athletes during this troubling time."
Details regarding the nature of how the native of Tupelo, Mississippi, died were not released by university officials.
In a news release, school officials said they were working with the Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Office, the Oktibbeha County Coroner's Office, the school's Division of Student Affairs, and the university's athletics department "to determine the facts of this incident and will have no further comment until that assessment is completed."
"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," said MSU President Mark E. Keenum in a news release. "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."
