Texas College Student Dies After Collapsing on Track During Competition

Graycen Vargo
Credit: TAMUT Sports Information

NEED TO KNOW

• A college long distance runner died on Friday, April 24 at a track meet in New Orleans
• Graycen Vargo, 21, suffered a medical emergency at the competition hosted by Xavier University
• Vargo was a junior computer science major at Texas A&M University-Texarkana

A collegiate distance runner from Texas died while competing at a meet in Louisiana last week, officials said.

Graycen Vargo, 21, suffered a medical emergency during a competition hosted by Xavier University in New Orleans on Friday, April 24, according to his school, Texas A&M University-Texarkana.

Vargo, a junior computer science major from Dallas, collapsed and was “given immediate medical attention on site” before he was transported to a local hospital where he died, the school said.

A cause of death was not shared.

A transfer student from Jacksonville College in Jacksonville, Texas, Vargo was competing in his first year for the Eagles.

Graycen Vargo
Credit: TAMUT Sports Information

Vargo recently received the Eagle Excellence Award for cross country during the university’s annual athletics awards ceremony. The award is “given to student athletes who made a positive impact on campus, within their teams, and in the community while exemplifying strong character and academic excellence,” A&M-Texarkana said in a statement.