Kent State football player dies after a team workout
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Kent State freshman offensive lineman Tyler Heintz died Tuesday following a team conditioning drill, the school said in a statement. The cause of death has yet to be determined.
“Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with Tyler’s family and friends, as well as Coach [Paul] Haynes and the team, our athletics staff and our student-athletes,” the school stated.
Heintz, 19, was found unresponsive when firefighters arrived at Dix Stadium at 9:18 a.m. in response to a call, Kent Fire Capt. Bill Myers told the Columbus Dispatch. He was transported to University Hospitals Portage Medical Center and pronounced dead at 11:34 a.m., according to Dr. Dean DePerro, Portage County coroner.
An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday, but the final results might not be available for several weeks.
Heintz was a member of two Kenton (Ohio) High state semifinalist teams.
The 6-foot-4, 275-pound player had planned to study marketing and entrepreneurship at Kent State, according to the school’s statement. Like the majority of his new teammates, Heintz was on campus this week for summer classes and team workouts.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, Kent State student-athletes typically are required to show team doctors paperwork indicating they’ve passed a physical examination before they can take part in summer workouts. In addition, strength coaches and trainers are typically on hand for those workouts.
Kent State football suffered a similar tragedy during the summer of 2014, when offensive lineman Jason Bitsko died from a heat ailment 10 days before the season opener.
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