Two Western Connecticut State men’s lacrosse players died and a third was hospitalized after a car crash Friday in Colchester, Connecticut.
Tyler Graham, 18, was pronounced dead at the scene. Jacob Chapman, 18, was pronounced dead at Marlborough Medical Center. He was the driver of the vehicle. The third passenger, Trey Massaro, 19, suffered serious injuries but is expected to recover, according to the Hartford Courant.
A state police report cited by the Courant said the car veered off the road on Route 354, hitting a metal guard rail and several trees and rolling down an embankment.
Dr. John B. Clark, the university’s president, informed the campus community of the accident Saturday and said the school plans to hold a memorial for Graham and Chapman. They were classmates and teammate at Bacon Academy in Colchester before starting at WCSU this fall. A vigil was held Sunday evening on the Colchester Town Green.
Graham (pictured) and Chapman were high school classmates and teammates at Bacon Academy in Colchester.
Tributes poured in on social media.
“The lacrosse community suffered a great loss yesterday,” East Catholic Boys Lacrosse posted on Facebook on Saturday. “They were great competitors on the field and were taken from us far too soon.”
Chapman also played for Shoreline Lacrosse, a club program in southeastern Connecticut.
“Chappy…always held a positive mindset and had an infectious smile and laugh that spread throughout the team,” the club posted on Twitter.
Graham’s club team, Connecticut Valley Lacrosse, in a Facebook post called Graham “a phenomenal athlete, someone who would do whatever it takes to make his mark on the field and a player whose work ethic was so infectious that those around him pushed themselves to be the best they could be.”