A terrible loss struck the Sacramento State Hornets football team after their former offensive lineman, Ivan Garza, tragically passed away at the age of 25. On July 8, 2026, his high school, Robert F. Kennedy High, announced his death.
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Garza was involved in a car accident; the exact details have yet to be disclosed. The university released a statement offering deep condolences to his family, remembering him as a wonderful teammate and an integral part of their championship history.
“We give our deepest condolences to Ivan’s friends and family. He will be remembered as a wonderful teammate, player, and Hornet,” read the post by the Hornets.
𝙍𝙀𝙎𝙏 𝙄𝙉 𝙋𝙀𝘼𝘾𝙀 𝙄𝙑𝘼𝙉 𝙂𝘼𝙍𝙕𝘼 🕊️ We give our deepest condolences to Ivan’s friends and family. He will be remembered as a wonderful teammate, player, and Hornet.
Garza was a talented offensive lineman who started his career in 2019 by signing a Division 1 football scholarship. He rose to local prominence by becoming the first footballer from Robert F. Kennedy High School in Delano, California, to reach such a level.
At Sacramento State, he took a redshirt year as a freshman. After learning the playbook, he was ready to earn a spot on the roster, but unfortunately, that couldn’t happen until next year.
The Big Sky Conference had canceled the fall 2020 football season because of the onset of COVID-19. In 2021, he finally set foot on the gridiron and commenced his journey. He won the starting role at left tackle by the third game, which was against Penn State that season. He started in 10 games and helped the Hornets secure an undefeated 8-0 record in the Big Sky. The icing on top was winning the Big Sky Championship.
His selflessness was evident in the 2022 season, when he gave up his position for a returning starter. He flipped to right tackle to accommodate his teammate and had a smooth transition. He started all 13 games, anchoring an offense that set program records with 74 touchdowns and 3369 rushing yards. As for his last season with the Hornets, he was back at his original position. He also earned All-Big Sky Honorable Mention honors.
Garza did not transition to professional football and stepped away from the sport. He carried forward his work ethic, learned from football, into his regular career endeavors.
Unfortunately Garza’s story is not an isolated one. Accidents on the road whether as a driver, passenger, or even as a pedestrian, has taken the lives or critically injured many players in the past.
On January 15, 2023, just days after the University of Georgia celebrated winning back-to-back National Championships, a tragic single-vehicle crash took the lives of 20-year-old offensive lineman Devin Willock and UGA recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy.
The vehicle was travelling at an excessive speed of over 104 mph in a 40 mph zone while street-racing against another car driven by teammate Jalen Carter. The SUV failed to negotiate a curve, striking utility poles and trees. Both Willock and LeCroy were killed in the crash, leading to high-profile wrongful death lawsuits against the university’s athletic association and the involved parties.
What is different here is that it is being reported that Garza was an innocent pedestrian who was fatally hit after being struck by a vehicle in Delano, his hometown. The Delano Police Department said officers responded shortly after 4 a.m. Wednesday to a report of a vehicle striking a pedestrian along Glenwood Street. Investigators said it appears the vehicle was traveling northbound on Glenwood when it crashed into the 25-year-old who was crossing the street.
Fans and players sent their condolences to Ivan Garza’s family
The sudden passing of the talented OL Ivan Graza has left everyone in an outpouring of grief. Fans and players from all across the world have been sending their condolences to the family.
“Friends, coaches and teammates remember him as a ‘gentle giant’ whose kindness left a lasting impact on everyone around him,” said the local community, Delano Sports Media. “Tragic! Condolences to the family,” read the comment by Kenny SacState.
“Rip and prayers, Lord, heal his family and friends, teammates, and loved ones,” read another comment by a fan.
“On our side, it’s a very sad day; on heaven’s side. It’s a celebration of another Angel coming home. We’re just passing through. We’re all just passing through on our way to heaven. Father God be with his family at this very tragic time. Just let them know that everything’s gonna be OK and that young Angel is in good hands,” commented one fan.