Southern Nazarene University is mourning the loss of Tyler Ulrich, a 21-year-old sophomore safety who died Thursday, five days after suffering a traumatic injury during Saturday’s game against Ouachita Baptist. The university announced his death on Instagram, saying he was surrounded by family, teammates and friends. Officials have not released details about the injury.
Ulrich was in his third season with the program and had made 16 starts in 20 games. The campus came together Tuesday for a prayer service while he was still hospitalized, and grief counseling is now available to students. The football team has canceled Saturday’s game against Southwestern Oklahoma State University. SNU president Dr. Keith Newman said the loss is deeply felt across campus, and head coach Dustin Hada remembered Ulrich as a man of God and an example of quiet strength.
For families across the Suncoast who’ve spent years watching young athletes chase a dream, this story cuts close. College football programs across the country, including the spring training complexes and college fields our communities know well, are constantly weighing how to keep players safe. If you have a young athlete in your life, this is a hard reminder of how quickly things can change.
Our thoughts are with the Ulrich family and the Southern Nazarene community. If you’ve got a student-athlete in your family, how do you talk with them about safety on the field?
