WISE, Va. (WJHL) — A UVA Wise student-athlete was found dead Thursday evening, but foul play is not suspected, according to the university.
Sophomore football player Gage Clark was found deceased in his residence hall room around 4:30 p.m., the college said.
“This is a terrible loss for our community, and I extend my deepest and most sincere sympathies to Gage’s family and friends,” Chancellor Donna Price Henry said in an announcement.
The college is working with Clark’s family “to ensure they are supported at this devastating time,” Henry said.
While no foul play is suspected, the Virginia State Police and Wise County Sheriff’s Office are assisting UVA Wise police in an investigation, according to the college. An autopsy is pending.
Friday classes have been canceled and counseling services have been made available at the Chapel of all Faiths.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Gage Clark, a member of the Highland Cavalier football team, who passed away today,” Athletic Director Kendall Rainey said in a statement. “Our sympathies and condolences are with his family and loved ones.”
Clark is from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and had attended UVA Wise since the fall of 2021 where he was majoring in sports management, according to the college.
