Garden City Community College Freshman Dies Hours After First Practice

An incoming Garden City Community College freshman died hours after the team's first day of practice.

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An incoming Garden City Community College freshman died hours after the team's first day of practice, the school's athletic department confirmed to Sports Illustrated.

The Garden City Telegram of Garden City, Kans. first reported the news.

Head coach Jeff Sims said Braeden Bradforth was found medically distressed by a teammate near the dorms Wednesday night. He was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

While an autopsy will determine cause of death, Sims said an emergency room doctor told him a test was indicative of a blood clotting disorder. According to Sims, a blood clot likely broke free, traveled to his heart and caused him to have a heart attack.

"Something that could have happened, anytime or anywhere," Sims said.

Sims said Bradforth had meetings in the morning and had the afternoon off before nighttime conditioning. During the session, trainers never had to attend to him.

Bradforth was 19 and a recent high school graduate from Neptune, N.J.

"While Braeden may have lived 19 years, to the last day, he was doing it the right way, that was something we were proud of," Sims said.