22-year-old college football player dies from cardiac arrest after workout

The college football community is mourning the loss of Reed Ryan, a senior defensive lineman at the University of Minnesota Duluth who died at 22 from cardiac arrest caused by an undetected genetic heart condition, according to his family.

Ryan went into cardiac arrest on Nov. 21 following a team workout in the weight room. The university's athletic training staff initiated CPR and he was taken to Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth, according to his obituary.

“Our staff and players are devastated about Reed’s passing,” UMD head football coach Curt Wiese said in a news release. “Reed aspired to be better every day at whatever task was at hand. He helped bring out the best in others with his positive attitude, infectious smile, and genuine care for the people around him.

"We were fortunate to have Reed on our team, and he made our program, our department, and our community a better place in a short period of time. Reed will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on forever. He was the epitome of a UMD Bulldog, and what we can all aspire to be. To his family, thank you for allowing us to be part of his inspiring young life. Reed was a Bulldog through and through.”

Ryan was enrolled in the university's school of business as a double major in marketing and professional sales. He loved travel, collecting shoes, cooking and going to concerts, according to his obituary.

"Reed had a contagious smile and lived life to the fullest in his short years," his obituary read. "Reed loved people, he could talk to anyone and prided himself on being surrounded by friends, family, mentors, and being part of a team."

Ryan had eight tackles and a sack in nine games this season and was part of a defense that allowed the fewest amount of yards per game of any team in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

He was a former standout and team captain at Waunakee High School in Wisconsin who played four seasons at North Dakota State, which won two FCS national championships during that time. Waunakee went 45-2 and won two state championships during Ryan’s high school career.

This fall was Ryan's lone season with the University of Minnesota Duluth, after he transferred to play with the Bulldogs.

Ryan was also a star wrestler in high school, finishing second in the state in his weight class and winning 139 matches in his career, according to a statement on Facebook by the Waunakee wrestling program.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com