Stetson mourning death of football player

(STATS) - Stetson University is mourning 19-year-old sophomore Nick Blakely, who died Monday after collapsing at a team practice.

The school in DeLand, Florida, said Blakely was on the sidelines shortly after practice began Monday evening when he complained of not feeling well and collapsed. He was transported by ambulance to Florida Hospital DeLand and later died.

Blakely was an accounting major from Lawrenceville, Georgia. A sophomore academically, he still had four seasons of eligibility remaining after the defensive back was redshirted last season.

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Stetson said counselors would be available to assist the team as well as students on campus coping with Blakely's death. An informal gathering of his friends and colleagues was scheduled on campus at Allen Hall noon ET Tuesday.

The football team is scheduled to begin its season at Sacred Heart on Saturday.

Blakely is survived by his parents, Milton Blakely and Michelle Wilson, two brothers, Ryan Brown and Jared Blakely, and two sisters, Shayla and Paige Blakely.

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