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I just recieved a death notice in my school e-mail saying recently graduated soccer player Jordan Mann passed away unexpectedly this past weekend. Awful news. 4th student in the last 6 months from school to pass away, 3rd in the last month. No news on the cause of death yet, but a huge loss to the athletic community. Sounded like he was a pretty stand up guy! My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

Tragic.

Memorial Service Set For Jordan Mann

May 29, 2007


A memorial service for Jordan Mann, a recent SMU graduate who died unexpectedly Saturday, is set for 2 p.m. Thursday at the Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, Kansas.


Mr. Mann died of apparent natural causes at his home in Prairie Village, according to the Prairie Village Police Department, pending an autopsy. The family requested that memorials be made to the Jordan Mann Charitable Trust Fund in care of Peggy Melton at The Country Club Bank in Shawnee Mission, Kansas.


A finance major, Mr. Mann was a member of the SMU Men's soccer team, where he was a major contributor to the team's national ranking. In 2005, he played in the collegiate Final Four Tournament. He was selected to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll and to the Conference USA Academic Honor Roll.


Mr. Mann grew up in Prairie Village, Kansas. He was a three-year letter winner at Shawnee Mission East High School in Shawnee Mission. He was named to the All-State, All- Metro, All Sunflower League, All Sun-Country and All Johnson County first team soccer teams. Academically he was a member of the National Honor Society, the National Beta Club, National Honor Roll, Principals Honor Roll, and the Kansas Honors Scholars. His senior year he was awarded the Art Newcomer Award as the outstanding student athlete at Shawnee Mission East. Jordan attended Furman University in Greenville, SC, before transferring to SMU in 2005.


SMU mourns this loss and sends its heartfelt sympathy to his parents and other loved ones.

Not to be insensitive, but what do natural causes entail for a collegiate athlete at nearly the physical peak of their life?

Could be something cardiac that crept up. No telling. I know linemen are at high risk for enlarged hearts, which I believe can cause heart attacks. He's obviously no lineman.

Could also be something such as an irregular heartbeat that might not have been caught during a physical.

Some college basketball players have died of heart attacks despite being in great shape. If your ticker is defective, then bad things can happen fast. Heart Disease can be congenital or can be caused by other factors (such as smoking, weight, diet, or drugs). Bad valves, clogged arteries, irregular heart beats all can kill you very quickly. I know folks who have lived very healthy lifestyles and just dropped dead.