Kenyon Mourns Loss of Rising Sophomore Lucian Li

Kenyon College defenseman Lucian Li, a rising sophomore at the Division III school, died late Tuesday night, succumbing to injuries he sustained in a car accident late last week. Kenyon vice president for student affairs Celestino Limas announced Li’s passing in an email to students Wednesday morning.

Li, from Lititz, Pa., was driving on July 14 around 2 a.m. in his home state. According to Pennsylvania State Police, Li was driving on US 202 North when 42-year-old Matthew Deangelis was driving his 2015 GMC Sierra southbound in the northbound lanes of the highway.

Li, who was driving his 2022 Volkswagen Taos, and Deangelis collided head on. Deangelis died at the scene. Li had two passengers in the car who remain unidentified. They remain in critical but stable condition, per CBS21.

A defenseman, Li played for Manheim Township High School before committing to Kenyon. He played in three games for the Owls during his first season in 2023, scoring a goal on his only shot attempt.

“Lucian was someone who sought out all that Kenyon had to offer in his time with us,” Limas wrote in the email to students. ”Lucian was a KEEP scholar and member of the men’s lacrosse team, as well as a caring friend to many here at Kenyon. Moments like this are felt deeply by our community because of how close we are as a campus, and we mourn for Lucian’s family and friends who are experiencing such a devastating loss.”