Southern Nazarene safety Tyler Ulrich dies five days after game injury

Southern Nazarene University safety Tyler Ulrich died Thursday, October 15, five days after he was injured during a football game at Ouachita Baptist. He was 21.

The university’s athletics department announced his death Thursday afternoon and asked the campus community to support his family, friends and teammates. The school has not disclosed the cause of death or the nature of the injury, the Associated Press reported.

Ulrich was hurt during Southern Nazarene’s October 10 game in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The game was delayed while he received medical attention before being taken to a hospital, according to the AP. Southern Nazarene lost 49-14; its official box score lists Ulrich as the starting safety.

A sophomore from Azle, Texas, Ulrich was in his third season with the Crimson Storm. He wore No. 30 and was a finance major. Before college, he played at Azle High School, where he earned second-team all-district and second-team academic all-state honors.

His father, Mark Ulrich, said in a Thursday social media statement that his son had died that morning, WFAA reported. The station also spoke with members of the Azle community who had rallied around the family after the injury.

Southern Nazarene president Keith Newman said the university’s counseling center and campus pastors would be available to students, according to WFAA. The school had held a campus prayer gathering Tuesday while Ulrich remained hospitalized.

The Crimson Storm’s game at Southwestern Oklahoma State, scheduled for Saturday, October 17, has been canceled, the AP and D2Football reported. Southern Nazarene is an NCAA Division II program based in Bethany, Oklahoma, and plays in the Great American Conference.

Sources

• AP: Southern Nazarene announces Ulrich’s death
• Southern Nazarene: Tyler Ulrich’s 2026 roster biography
• Southern Nazarene: October 10 official box score
• WFAA: North Texas native Ulrich dies after game injury
• D2Football: Southern Nazarene mourns Ulrich