Mason Alexander, a freshman with the Pittsburgh football team, announced he was killed in a car accident late Saturday night in his hometown of Indiana.
“This morning, parents, teachers and coaches received a call saying they didn't want to do it before. It's news of the sudden loss of a young, promising life,” Pitt coach Pat Nalduzzi said in a statement. “Our entire program is shocked and deeply saddened to learn of Mason Alexander's passing.”
Alexander was a 2016 BMW passenger and tried to get the 2015 Toyota to pass before Hillcrest, swinging to avoid a head-on collision with another vehicle moving in the opposite direction of the Fishers, Indiana.
BMW got off the road, slid the grass, bumped into a tree, and set it on fire around 9pm
18-year-old Alexander graduated from high school early and enrolled in Pittsburgh in December.
He is a four-star recruit and is the best in Pitt's freshman class.
“Even in that short time, he made a big impression on us all,” Nalduzzi said. “Mason was proud and excited to be a Panther. We felt the same way about him being in our Pitt home. He will always be a Panther for us. Many of the Alexander family and Mason's many loved ones and friends are in our prayers.”
Pitt was the first school to offer Alexander an FBS scholarship. Alexander was described as “a man who is very contagious, highly energy-hearted, always staying positive.” Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
