Northern Iowa tight end Parker Sutherland died Saturday at the age of 18, the school announced.
The university did not reveal the cause of death.
A spokesperson for Northern Iowa said in a statement to the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier that Cedar Falls Fire & Rescue responded to a call at the university’s athletics facilities on Thursday.
CBS 2 in Cedar Rapids reported Saturday that several sources revealed the freshman “collapsed during a workout that day.”
“It is a heartbreaking day for our Panther Athletics family with the passing of our Parker Sutherland. He embraced the opportunity to play Panther football and represent the University through sport,” UNI Director of Athletics Megan Franklin said in a release.
“We are devastated — just devastated. The blessing is that we have a Panther family who will hold the Sutherland family, our football team, and our athletics staff close as we grieve.”
The tight end played in four games with the Panthers against Utah Tech, North Dakota, Illinois State and Murray State.
“I’m heartbroken,” UNI head coach Todd Stepsis in the announcement. “No words can express my condolences to Adam, Jill and Georgia. Parker embodied everything we look for in a UNI Football Panther. His talent and potential excited us on a daily basis, but it failed to compare to the type of person and teammate he was. His character, humility, toughness and genuine love of others are what champions are made of. While I’m saddened that our time together was short, we will celebrate the bright light that he brought to our football team for the rest of our lives.”
Sutherland was a second-team All-State performer as a senior in 2024 at Iowa City High School, where he also played basketball and baseball.
He is survived by his parents, Adam and Jill, and his sister, Georgia.
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