Man who drowned in Lake Michigan was rising college football player

A 19-year-old Ohio man was found dead in Lake Michigan on Sunday after being overcome by strong waves and currents while swimming with his friends.

People tried to rescue college athlete Michael Hooffstetter, who went missing in the water at Pere Marquette Beach Sunday evening, but were unsuccessful, according to 10TV.

Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, is mourning the death of Hooffstetter, who was a rising sophomore on the school's football team.

The Grove City, Ohio, native played football and basketball at Grove City High School and had goals to enter into law enforcement, according to Capital Athletics.

Hooffstetter was a freshman at the university and had a solid season on the field, even helping Capital to their first win since November 2018 in his first-ever collegiate game against Defiance on Sept. 2, 2021.

More: 3 people drown, 4th presumed dead in choppy Michigan waters

More: Lake Michigan drownings reach a 10-year high in 2020

This is far from the first drowning incident in Lake Michigan this summer, as the tragedies have continued to rise throughout the Great Lakes in recent years.

In 2021, there were 51 Great Lakes drownings by July 27, but there have been 62 so far in 2022, for an increase of 22% overall, according to a news release from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project.

Lake Michigan drownings alone have increased 17% since last year.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Capital University's Michael Hooffstetter drowns in Lake Michigan