Mason Sells ‘26 of Peachtree City died Monday night after collapsing during an intramural soccer game, according to Mercer University. Sells was transported by ambulance to Atrium Health Navicent, where he was pronounced dead.
Macon-Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones told 13WMAZ on Tuesday that Sells died from cardiac arrest after being hit in the chest with a soccer ball.
Sells, 20, was a member of Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) fraternity and an accounting student in the Stetson-Hatcher School of Business.
“Our hearts go out to the Sells family on their tragic loss, and I ask the Mercer community to keep them in their thoughts and prayers,” Mercer President William D. Underwood said. “Mason was an outstanding student and a highly involved Mercerian. Words cannot convey the extent of our sadness over his passing.”
ATO President Jacob Woods ‘25 said the outreach coming from the community has been immense. “He was such a respectable guy, somebody that I was really proud to call my brother and I'm gonna miss him,” Woods said.
“I'm not 100% sure who kicked that ball, but I just want to make it known that, to that whole team and whoever kicked the ball, ATO 100% has that team's back and supports them, and I don't want them to feel any guilt or anything at all,” Woods said.
Sells’ death comes days after Wesleyan College student Nefertari Holston, 23, collapsed during a cross country meet and was later pronounced dead at Atrium Health Navicent.
The University recommends any student in need of counseling can contact Counseling and Psychological Services between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. at (478) 301-2862.
Megan Jackson ‘25 is a Journalism student with a goal of going into editing, news writing, or audio production. She also works at Mercer’s Undergraduate Admissions office, and enjoys spending time with her sorority sisters.
