College Soccer Standout Dies Suddenly at 20, Found ‘Unresponsive’ in Residence

New Mexico State University women’s soccer player Thalia Chaverria, 20, was pronounced dead after being found ‘unresponsive’ at her residence Monday morning.

Chaverria, entering her third season with the Aggies program, turned 20 days ago.

The junior from Bakersfield, California, was a key player helping lead the Aggies to its first conference title in school history for women’s soccer.

20-year-old New Mexico State University soccer player Thalia Chaverria found dead just after birthday 🙏😔 pic.twitter.com/sx9mYvR1Oj

— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) July 13, 2023

WATCH:

NMSU mourns the death of student-athlete Thalia Chavarría. My condolences to her family and friends. pic.twitter.com/jWkHfwyVHi

— Alyssa Muñoz (@_alyssamunoz) July 12, 2023

“Yesterday, we lost an amazing young woman, and we are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of a member of our Aggie family,” said New Mexico State University Director of Athletics Mario Moccia.

“Thalia had a vibrant personality and those who were fortunate enough to spend time with her knew she had a bright future ahead of her.”

Fox News reports:

The Las Cruces Police Department responded to a residence in the area at around 7 a.m. local time over reports of an “unresponsive woman.” Once on the scene, police and fire personnel discovered that Chaverria was deceased.

Police are continuing their investigation, but noted they “have no reason to believe Chaverria’s death is suspicious or the result of criminal activity.”

Thalia Chaverria, a Junior soccer star at New Mexico State University from Bakersfield, California, died unexpectedly after being found unresponsive at home on Monday. Police investigating said there are no signs of foul play or any criminal activity.

She was only 20 years old. pic.twitter.com/UQ9Im8RiyH

— Te𝕏asLindsay™ (@TexasLindsay_) July 12, 2023

The New York Post added:

Angelissa Garza, a close friend from Chaverria’s hometown of Bakersfield, Calif., wrote in an Instagram tribute on Wednesday that the death felt “so unreal.”

“You are the most beautiful person I have ever met inside and out. You were the light to any room you walked in, you always made me smile and laugh when I was feeling down,” Garza continued underneath a slideshow of the two women smiling at their high school graduation, as well as more recent memories.

A candlelight vigil in Chaverria’s memory is set for Friday evening at the Surf Fields in Bakersfield, according to a post on Garza’s Instagram story.

At the time of her death, Chaverria was set to start her junior year at NMSU, where she was a standout defender on the soccer pitch.

On March 1, 2023, New Mexico State University sent a letter to faculty, staff, students, and administrators saying they were no longer required to show proof of COVID-19 inoculation with a primary series of an EUA injection.

The letter states:

“Our requirement that all students and employees in the NMSU system be fully vaccinated with a primary series of an approved vaccine has served us well. It has been an important tool for protecting our people and the communities where we live. However, the effectiveness of the primary series on its own waned significantly in the last year due to the evolution of new viral variants. We strongly encourage everyone to stay up to date with the latest COVID-19 boosters, which are effective in reducing the severity of the disease, but our requirement of the primary series of vaccines as a condition of employment or enrollment in the NMSU system is no longer suitable.”

cont.

“Individuals with a hire date of March 1, 2023, or later are no longer required to provide proof of vaccination or apply for an exemption.”

“Students enrolling in classes beginning in the Summer 2023 session or later are no longer required to provide proof of vaccination or apply for an exemption.”

Read the full letter: