Wheaton College student dies in hammer throw accident

Posted on April 24, 2017

By Eric Stock

WHEATON – Illinois Wesleyan University has offered condolences to its College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin counterparts at Wheaton College after the death of a student athlete.

Wheaton freshman Ethan Roser was killed after he was accidentally struck by a hammer during a hammer throw event on Saturday. Roser was pronounced dead at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.

Roser was a 19-year-old transfer student from Cincinnati, Ohio and member of the Wheaton College men’s soccer team. Roser was volunteering at the track and field event. Illinois Wesleyan was among the school’s competing in the event, which was canceled.

IWU Athletics posted this message on its Facebook page: “The Illinois Wesleyan athletics family offers condolences to the entire Wheaton College community on the tragic loss of Ethan Roser at Saturday’s track meet. Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time.”

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

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