Rashidi Wheeler, a starting safety at Northwestern who played at La Verne Damien High, died after conditioning drills Friday, two days after the football world was shaken by the heatstroke death of Minnesota Viking offensive tackle Korey Stringer.
There was no immediate information on the cause of death, and an autopsy was scheduled for today, according to Dan Collins, an investigator with the Cook County medical examiner's office. He refused to speculate on whether heat played any role. "We have no idea at this point," he told the Associated Press.
School officials said Wheeler, a 22-year-old senior from Ontario who played three varsity seasons at Damien, had a history of asthma and had used an inhaler during practice.
"Rashidi actually had his inhaler in his hands," trainer Tory Aggeler told the AP. "That's important--that they have access to an inhaler in that situation."
Wheeler did not respond to CPR from the coaching staff or paramedics, said Alan Berkowsky, spokesman for the Evanston Fire Department, which sent paramedics to the Evanston, Ill., campus. Wheeler died about an hour later at Evanston Hospital.
Wheeler's mother, Linda Will, told the AP she had talked to him Thursday night, and he told her he was feeling well.
"He was having his physical agility test today. He felt he was in tiptop shape," she said as she broke down in tears. "This is difficult for me."
Added George Wheeler, the player's father: "We're all in shock right now. Rashidi was a Christian. He loved God. He felt it was a blessing to be able to play football. He was getting one of the best educations in the country. He was a hard worker, he was disciplined . . . he loved life."
Wheeler is the fourth football player to die in the last 10 days. Stringer died Wednesday after practice in stifling heat. Later the same day, Travis Stowers, a 17-year-old high school player in Indiana, died after collapsing the previous afternoon during practice. And last week, University of Florida freshman running back Eraste Autin died of heatstroke complications six days after collapsing after a July 20 workout.
Jason Wright, a Northwestern running back, described the drills Wheeler and other players performed Friday as "our big conditioning test, something they do every year here; Rashidi pushed it right through to the end."
Wright, a redshirt freshman from Diamond Bar High, said the conditioning test is a prerequisite of making the Northwestern roster.
