Nebraska punter Sam Foltz and former Michigan State punter Mike Sadler were killed in a car accident overnight in Wisconsin, both programs have confirmed. The pair were on their way home from a kicking camp, according to the Lincoln Journal-Star. LSU kicker Colby Delahoussaye was also injured in the crash but is no longer under the care of Waukesha Memorial Hospital according to the Baton Rouge Advocate.
“Last night, we lost one of the best young men who I have ever had the honor to coach and who has ever worn the Nebraska uniform,” Huskers head coach Mike Riley said in a statement. “Sam was universally loved and respected by everyone he touched and on whom he had a positive influence each and every day. His tragic loss is immeasurable to his family, his friends, his classmates, his teammates and his coaches and our thoughts and prayers are with all of them. The young men in our football program are hurting but I know that their strength of character and resolve will bring us together and we will honor Sam every day moving forward.”
Kohl’s Kicking Camp director Jamie Kohl also released a statement on the pair’s passing.
Statement from Jamie Kohl on the tragic deaths of Sam Foltz and Mike Sadler. pic.twitter.com/RE4jE5LbKk
— Kohl's Kicking Camps (@KohlsKicking) July 24, 2016
Our hearts are heavy.
— Nebraska Huskers (@Huskers) July 24, 2016
We'll miss you Sam.#RIP27 pic.twitter.com/Mz2dwhILQ9
Foltz, 22, was named the Big Ten’s punter of the year in 2015 and was named a First Team All-Big Ten performer. A three-year starter for the Huskers, Foltz earned a bachelor’s degree in agronomy in May.
Sadler, 24, occupied the Spartans’ punter position from 2011-14 and earned recognition as the first four-time Academic All-American in the history of Michigan State’s football program. A finalist for the William V. Campbell Award, college football’s highest academic honor, in 2014, Sadler ranked among the top six in Spartans history for punts, punting yardage and punting average.
He gave us all so much in so little time. Our thoughts & prayers are with him & his family. #RIPMikeSadler pic.twitter.com/pVZbkARNi4
— Mark Dantonio (@DantonioMark) July 24, 2016
Sadler announced in April he had been accepted to Stanford Law School. “So I woke up at 8 o’clock in the morning, just had nothing going on that day, so like any good nerd I started watching physics lectures online, because I had nothing else to do with my time, got through two separate ninety minute lectures um actually from Stanford on String Theory, so as soon as I was about to start the third ninety minute session, I get a call from a Palo Alto number and I’m thinking, there’s no way this has anything to do with law, this is the physics department saying get off our website ah but sure enough it was the dean of the law school telling me that I had gotten in and I was ecstatic at that point,” he told WLNS of learning his acceptance.
Nebraska has announced that it will not partake in Big Ten media days festivities this week.
Details of the crash are still oncoming from officials in Waukesha, Wisc.