LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky has announced that baseball and basketball player Ben Jordan is dead at age 22.
Jordan has been on UK's baseball team since 2018, while walking onto the basketball team for the 2019-20 season.
"It is with profound grief that we learn of the loss of Ben Jordan," Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart said. "He had a servant's heart and answered the call whenever asked, including putting his promising baseball career on hold to help the basketball team when it needed him."
The West Carter native joined the men's basketball team when there was a shortage of scholarship players. Coach John Calipari said it was difficult to express how tragic it is to lose someone so young.
"Ben impacted our team last season in so many ways with his kind heart, his big smile and his wonderful personality," Calipari said. "He cared so deeply about this place and it meant so much to him to be a part of this team."
Head baseball coach Nick Mingione said the team was shocked by the news of Jordan's passing, calling him an "absolute joy" to coach and be around. As a freshman, Jordan appeared in ten games and pitched a scoreless inning against Vanderbilt to finish the season.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Ben's family and we will support them in any way we can during this extremely difficult time," Mingione said. "We are all hurting and will find a way to carry Ben's legacy forward and keep him in our hearts."
No cause of death was given.
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