by Lancaster, Texas We regret to inform you that one of our student-athletes from Lancaster Early College High School passed away this morning, Wednesday, August 20, 2025, as a result of a medical emergency that happened during Monday, August 18, 2025, during football practice.Malone, a sophomore on the junior varsity team, informed a coach that he wasn’t feeling well during practice on Monday. Our sports trainers reacted very away, adhering strictly to UIL heat safety guidelines and procedures. The pupil was put in a cold tub to reduce his body temperature after 911 was called. He spoke with our sports training team and showed indications of recovery before being taken by EMS to Children’s Medical Center for additional testing. Although we hoped he would recover, his condition drastically altered over night, and he tragically died this morning.
Adjusting practice times, using indoor facilities, keeping hydration stations, keeping an eye on real-time heat conditions, and making sure certified athletic trainers were present were all part of the UIL and district heat safety protocols and procedures that our Lancaster ISD athletic training staff meticulously followed. Our personnel responded promptly to the medical issue and treated our pupil with the utmost care.Superintendent of Schools Dr. A.K. Perera said, “We are devastated and offer our sincere condolences to the student’s family, friends, classmates, teammates, and teachers during this unfathomable time of loss.”We kindly request that everyone in our community remember and pray for the family.
Our current priorities are helping Preston’s family, teammates, and the Lancaster ISD community as a whole deal with this loss. Grief counselors are available to staff and students at Lancaster High School and throughout the district. The Lancaster High School football scrimmage versus North Forney on Thursday, August 21, has also been canceled, as has Lancaster ISD’s decision to cancel football practices for the rest of the week.Ms. Simpson will be available for questions from the media this afternoon at 3 p.m. Kindly get in touch with Kimberly Simpson for logistics and venues.
