The Connors State College Cowboy family today is mourning the tragic loss of Ethan Dietz, a CSC sophomore who passed away this morning after sustaining an injury during a men’s basketball game on Saturday.
“Ethan Dietz was the kind of player a coach always hopes for,” CSC Athletic Director and Men’s Basketball Head Coach Bill Muse said. “He was talented athletically and academically and he understood the importance of hard work. If you ever saw him smile, you knew he was all heart. He was a person of character as well as a great teammate. Our hearts and prayers continue to be with Ethan’s family, friends and our team as we process this heartbreaking loss.”
“It is devastating when such a bright light is taken from us,” CSC President Dr. Ron Ramming said in a message to the community. “Ethan exemplified what it means to be a Cowboy, to value hard work and being part of a team. While we are processing our own grief, our hearts go out to his family, friends and teammates.”
The College will host a candlelight vigil in Ethan’s honor at 7:00 pm Monday, Dec. 1, at the Fine Arts Building on the Warner Campus. In the wake of this tragedy, CSC is reminding students that they can access no-cost counseling services through its partnership with Green Country Behavioral Health. CSC also offers 24/7 access to virtual care, self-care and wellbeing tools through Timely Care.
Additionally, several upcoming games have been cancelled:
- Women’s Basketball, Tuesday, Nov. 25 at Neosho County
- Men’s Basketball, Wednesday, Nov 26 vs SAU Tech
- Women’s Basketball, Saturday, Nov 29 vs Labette County
- Men’s Basketball, Monday, Dec. 1 vs Grayson